Depression
Depression 101
As human beings, it’s inevitable that we will experience various ups and downs throughout our lifetime. The circle of life that we’re born into brings difficult moments for everyone and can lead to feelings like grief and loneliness. Despite the sadness, people are usually able to continue functioning and slowly heal from difficult experiences overtime.
But what happens if you don’t bounce back? Or, what if you feel the highs and lows even when there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong in your life?
One possible reason for this may be due to a condition called depression. This is not a new word for most people; in fact, you're probably used to hearing it in both serious and silly contexts (“I’m so depressed now that football season is over,” “I’m depressed that my travel plans were canceled because of COVID-19,” “I’ve been feeling depressed ever since my dog died”).
Depression defined
Depression is a state of being that can arise from challenging life events as well as heredity or environmental factors. People who feel “depressed” after experiencing a triggering event (e.g., divorce, loss of a job, death of a loved one, tragic news) go through a natural and healthy grieving process that often includes many of the same symptoms as depression.
On the other hand, some people may feel depressive symptoms even if they are financially stable, in good physical health, and surrounded by supportive friends and family. When this happens to young people, it can be confusing and isolating as others may mistake their symptoms for laziness, lack of motivation or being ungrateful, which is absolutely not the case. In these instances, there are likely other factors at play and researchers are still trying to figure out the full picture of depression. Here are some things that we do know (American Psychiatric Association, 2017):
Genetics plays a role in depression and can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70% chance of having the illness sometime in life.
A person’s biochemistry (chemical make up in the brain) may contribute to symptoms of depression.
Personality traits may impact the likelihood of depressive symptoms. People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to experience higher levels of depression.
Impact of depression
Whether mild or severe, if you have symptoms of depression it can lead to many emotional and physical problems as well as decrease your ability to function at school, work or within relationships. There are several types of depression that can impact you (read more about them here), but some of common symptoms that are consistent among them include the following:
Loss of interest in daily activities (food, hobbies, socializing)
Significant weight loss
Insomnia or oversleeping
Loss of energy, feeling fatigue
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Taking longer to complete small tasks
Low frustration tolerance
Self-loathing or feelings of worthlessness
It’s important to understand the difference between short-term sadness and depression. Although there’s an overlap in symptoms, sadness generally doesn’t last for days at a time and you're likely still able to engage in activities you enjoy like spending time with friends, exercising, watching TV or cooking. When you have a depressive disorder, the feelings are persistent and even small routine tasks, like getting out of bed or showering, become difficult and burdensome.
Depression among women
Research shows that the majority of people who experience depression are women and, sadly, more than half don’t get the help they need. Women may feel the impact more because of certain biological factors, inherited traits, and personal and societal life circumstances, such as:
Unequal status in family and society
Work overload (at a job, within a household, caretaking for children and parents)
Abuse (emotional, sexual or physical abuse)
Anxiety (more common among women)
Eating disorders (more common among women)
Pregnancy and the major changes associated with it (lack of support, unplanned pregnancy, miscarriage, infertility issues)
Postpartum depression
Menopause
Managing depression in 2020
There is no shortage of reasons for why we may feel depressed in 2020. COVID-19, in particular, has brought on so many long-term stressors for people regardless of their age, gender, or geographical location. This could stem from being separated from friends or family members, being stuck indoors, having milestone events canceled, all without having your usual outlets to look forward to (e.g., in-person gym classes, seeing colleagues, running errands and being well-groomed). Spending a lot of time on the couch or in bed has also led to decreased motivation and a serious drop in energy levels.
It can be difficult to know how to get out of this feeling and prevent it from becoming your norm. To help you take a proactive approach, here are some do’s and don’ts to try when it comes to managing depression and the symptoms associated with it.
Do:
Create micro-steps to reach goals. Instead of “I’m going to organize my closet,” start with, “I’m going to go organize my socks today. Tomorrow, I’ll organize just my sweaters," and so on.
Motivation to work out increases with action. Instead of jumping right into it, start with a short stretch -- then take a walk, do yoga, go for a jog or something more strenuous.
Talk to at least one person that you care about daily, either face-to-face while socially distancing, by video chat or on the phone so that you can feel connected.
Stick to a regular sleep routine. This one is really important. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try engaging in the other steps above to help you ease your mind at night.
Don't:
Try to avoid telling yourself how you should feel when you’re going through a tough time or feel guilty for the way that you do feel. Instead of thinking so many people have it worse than you, reframe your thought to, “I’m grateful for what I have but I’m going through a tough time. That’s okay and I will get through this.”
Try not to distract yourself from uncomfortable feelings. For example, alcohol, substances, emotional eating or other things that suppress your feelings only provide temporary relief. Instead of pushing away your pain, acknowledge it and release the feeling through an healthy outlet (coloring, meditating, listening to music).
Try not to believe things that make you feel worthless: If people or situations impact your self-esteem, challenge their words or actions the way you would for a friend. Instead of thinking, “I always make mistakes,” remind yourself that you have succeeded at many things before and are capable of doing it again; “Things are hard but I’ve been able to get through times like this before.”
Try not to Engage in negative self-thoughts. Reframe “I'm worthless,” to “My life is valuable and there is no one else in the world exactly like me.”
If depression is something you're already diagnosed with, or struggled with previously, this is a gentle reminder to keep up with your personal treatment plan, whether that includes medication management, keeping up with online therapy appointments, or making sure you're regularly exercising and talking to your loved ones. If you don't have a plan, reach out to a mental health professional as soon as possible to help you get on the right track. The first step is usually the most difficult and once you're past it, you may be surprised to find how good it feels to prioritize your wellbeing.
What are some things that you’ve done to help yourself manage feelings of sadness or depression during quarantine? I’d love to hear, so please feel free to share!