Depression is feeling unhappy to a point you are in despair over one or more aspects of your life. It can also cause fatigue as being depressed can be exhausting constantly going over things in your head that make you unhappy. One fact is that if you have a good amount of energy you are less likely to get depressed. This is why those who are prone to depression are advised to partake in exercise. Of course when you do have energy but are still feeling sad it can then turn to anger, however this can be harnessed to be used as a motivation tool to get better.
Although some people see depression as being sadness, it’s not that simple. With sadness you are able to cry to release your feelings; however with depression there’s no way to release it and people feel trapped. In many cases it leads to the sufferer feeling that they no longer have the will to fight it. the reason for this is that people who are depressed will have constant negative thoughts that bring their mood down to a level that they can’t control.
Feeling as though life no longer has a purpose for you such as being diagnosed with an illness or disability that cannot be cured is a common reason people get depressed. It’s understandable if people feel as though they have failed in life or that they have nothing to gain from being alive. From those negative thoughts stem constant hopelessness, lack of self-worth and even suicidal thoughts as a means to escape. When you are fighting depression the first rule is to not let yourself slip any deeper. It’s a lot easier to control sadness and lack of self-worth than it is to fight depression itself. This is why it’s important to recognise what triggers your depressive state and monitor your mood on an on-going basis.
Thankfully over the past couple of decades there has been more awareness of depression, but this has also led to misconceptions being created. Many people see depression as an illness and in doing so this can mentally allow those suffering to feel that it’s something they don’t have control of. By feeling you have no control of something it’s at that point people use it to make excuses rather than fighting it head on.
Depression is in fact a state of mind which can be determined by both you physiology and your mental state. There are genetic factors that can make you pre-disposed to developing it such as having fewer levels of certain chemicals but there are ways that you can raise them without the need for medication. Knowing that your state of mind can be controlled by you and not blaming depression on others, whatever the cause is the first step to recovering.
