Depression

Depression. That word we throw around so easily nowadays. We use the word to describe anything from a bad day to an overwhelming inability to live life. But as anyone with depression knows, it is more than one word can describe. Depression slowly takes over one’s life to the point where one can’t remember how it all began.  It creeps in slowly and unnoticeable then as if out of the blues, the famous black cloud descends.

The simple things one used to do seems so hard, you are so low that the things you used to enjoy doing don’t matter at all.  There is no joy again in life. You wonder what other people have that you don’t have, and it becomes hard and harder to get out of bed in the morning. You drag yourself through the day and find it difficult to go to bed at night. It takes huge effort and too much pressure to do the small things.  The low becomes so low that it seems to take over, overwhelm you and ground you.  It can be so overwhelming that you don’t understand yourself. You can’t explain why you are not living your life.

Initially, depression is a reaction to a life you never imagined would be yours.  It feels like deeper anger at injustice or unfairness of life. You seem to lack the energy to take any more of what life has to offer, a cloud of deep sadness takes over and inability to change the situation on your own

For anyone who can relate to the above, help is available. In the early stages of depression or with a mild depression things like taking a walk, connecting to social groups, doing things you enjoy, or talking to a friend can help. But with a longer-lasting or deeper depression, all these feel too hard and this is what makes it difficult to come out of it alone.

In managing depression, there needs to accept that depression is a part of your life for now. Own up to it for yourself. It will be counterproductive to live in denial. Secondly, allow yourself the time needed to get through it; it does take time. There is no magic cure, but it can slowly get better as slowly as it developed. Thirdly, as impossible as it seems to do, you need to get help. There is always resistance, and sometimes the biggest battle can be making that choice to allow others to help.