Depression

For a number of years now i've gotten to see both side's of depression, having battled with it myself and seeing others go through it and being the one to help people battle their demons. I thought long and hard about doing a post like this and felt that maybe the time is right for me to explain both sides to everyone. So if you're going through it or are seeing someone go through it and have no idea how the other side are seeing it, this post might be able to help you.

Before i begin going into this topic, if you are dealing with any form of depression, my advice is for you to speak up about it. Help is available for you, but not unless you speak up about it. You will be suprised if you are going through it at just how many people's live's you will be having an impact on and people want to see you back to being you again, so for all of us, seek help, sooner rather than later.

What is depression?

Definition of depression

noun

• 1 [mass noun] severe, typically prolonged, feelings of despondency and dejection: self-doubt creeps in and that swiftly turns to depression
• Medicine a mental condition characterized by severe feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy, typically accompanied by a lack of energy and interest in life: she suffered from clinical depression

• 2a long and severe recession in an economy or market: the depression in the housing market
• (the Depression or the Great Depression) the financial and industrial slump of 1929 and subsequent years.

• 3 [mass noun] the action of lowering something or pressing something down: depression of the plunger delivers two units of insulin
• [count noun] a sunken place or hollow on a surface: the original shallow depressions were slowly converted to creeks

• 4 Meteorology a region of lower atmospheric pressure, especially a cyclonic weather system: hurricanes start off as loose regions of bad weather known as tropical depressions

• 5 Astronomy & Geography the angular distance of an object below the horizon or a horizontal plane.

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin depressio(n-), from deprimere 'press down'(see depress)

Depression itself has many form's all with different names and resulting in different treatment, as the different types make people do different things. The most important thing to remember when looking into this topic, is to understand that each of us as human beings are mentally, a bag of chemicals, all different amounts of each one. When depression gets to us, it's important to remember that what may work for one person, may not for several others. This is why many people who try to self medicate, be it off advice off a friend or family member, treatment will not have the desired effect on a person and in some cases can lead to worse problems. This is why help should always be sort after from a health professional who knows what they're talking about, starting with your doctor or GP is the best place to start.

During my own battles with depression, i tried to use my time to get to know myself and try to understand why i was acting like i was. This would involve upto several days by myself, shutting away the outside world. What i found was that my life was lacking the change and excitement that i needed in my life in order to keep me being the person i was. It's a process which i feel we all need to do every now and again (Getting to know ourselves, not the shutting ourselves away from the world part) in order for us to be able to know what we have to offer others.

I always stuck by the advice of "how do you know what you're like in a relationship, unless you know yourself well enough. If you don't know yourself, you cannot love yourself properly. If you cannot love yourself properly, you don't allow other's to love you either".

My depression battles tend not to be all that long and i feel i'm lucky enough to be able to mentally find out what is wrong in my life and conduct any changes i feel are needed, in order to be able to move on with my life.

Depression DOES have many forms.

Never be afraid of depression itself, think of it as your brains own way of telling you "You need change". There's no clue's as to what in some cases, but you know something has to change.

Like i said before, there's different treatments for the different types of depression, in either case you should always consult your doctor before trying to self medicate. That said, there's some things that you might be able to do, with any form of depression, which can help you to do what you like.... What are they?

Exercise!

Yes, believe it or not, that thing most of us don't like doing, can not only get our blood pumping, but our brains pumping too, filling us with some good feelings for abit! It's a great way to stay in shape, granted, but it gives our brains a chance to focus on something other than what we know or don't know as the depression cause. So, get that brightly coverd lycra outfit out of your wardrobe, dust off your cassette player and go for a jog, it might just suprise you with how much you can enjoy yourself!

Learn to laugh again!

With the majority of depression, either being a person suffering with it or seeing a person suffering with it, the person who has it often won't laugh where they once used to, but laughing does actually release toxin's in the brain which can make you feel better!

Look at what goes into you!

This is possably going to be a big cause right here. While the main advice at this part would be "Avoid taking illigal substances" truth of the matter is, even legal ones can have a worse effect on us. Look at what you put into your body, look into what it actually is, like alcohol IS a depressant itself, so during low times, don't make yourself lower with alcohol.

Do thing's that you like!

Do things that actually make you happy, or if you feel that nothing can make you happy, do things you know that used to make you happy! If you used to love shopping, go to the shops, you don't have to spend anything in the shops!

Deal with problems that you know are there!

This one may sound pretty basic, but for alot of people it really is easyer saying it than it is doing it. Some people will find themselves suffering with depression because of debt for an example, if you are in that case, seek advice about debt management, there's lots of options for you and doing this, could help you with your depression. The debt is only an example, but dealing with problems you have, while you have depression could well be the answer to helping you get back to being yourself.


Finally some important parts to remember.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Alot of people suffer with depression on a daily basis, just because they don't walk around wearing tag's saying that they do, doesn't mean to say they're not in the same boat as you.

SEEK THE HELP YOU NEED! Some of the reason's that people suffer with depression for as long as they do is because they do not seek the help that they need as soon as they can. While yes it might be the most difficult thing you have had to do in life, it could well be one of the best things you ever do, seek help.

DO NOT SELF HARM! Self harming is never a good thing, don't do it. Speaking with people who have done it, even i have learned that most end up with scars and regretting what they have done. No good comes out of self harming.

REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE LOVED! You might not see it everyday, you might not be told it every day, but someone out there loves you for who you are. They have your best interests at heart and want to see you back to being yourself. If you get the help you need, you might just find out who that person is...


Thank you for reading. Please note, this post DOES NOT contain medical infomation. If you are suffering with depression, or know someone who is, but who isn't getting help for it, speak up.