hello psych-goers
did you know with the recent movement on
mental health awareness over the past
few years people are gradually coming to
understand more and more about matters
of depression anxiety trauma and other
mental disorders there's also less
stigma surrounding the need for therapy
and mental health care nowadays thanks
to the countless public figures who have
bravely spoken up about their own
struggles with mental illness
do any of your favorite celebrities come
to mind
still there remains a lot unknown about
the true nature of depression the
world's most common mental illness and
even more it's only those struggling
with it that can truly understand so
with that said here are 10 things only
depressed people will understand
number one
difficulty with communicating your
emotions
within the depths of depression there
may reside complex emotions such as
sadness hopelessness helplessness anger
fear shame and guilt
for others still depression might
manifest as an unending sense of
emotional numbness and desolation
either way putting your feelings into
words and communicating them with others
is a constant struggle when you're
depressed especially when loved ones are
asking you how you feel or how you're
doing because they suspect something is
wrong you don't want them to worry but
when you're in the clutches of
depression you just don't know what or
even how to tell them
number two
the guilt of not having a good reason
for being depressed
why are you depressed what do you even
have to be depressed about in the first
place sound familiar perhaps one of the
most difficult things about having
depression is the pain of being
misunderstood or judged do you agree
depression needs to have a tangible
reason
though you understand that depression is
something that affects people of all
ages genders races classes and social
backgrounds you still can't help but
feel guilty when others judge you for
not having a good reason for being
depressed
number three the anger over constantly
being told
i understand
do you find it hard to believe when
others say they understand what you're
going through
another thing not talked about enough
when it comes to depression is how
frustrating it can feel to constantly be
told by others that they understand when
really all you want to do is tell them
that unless they've been diagnosed with
depression themselves and been inside
your mind
no they really don't
just because they felt really sad
sometimes or this terrible thing
happened to them once upon a time does
not mean that they know how it feels to
have clinical depression
number four the pain of losing your love
and passion for life
how long has it been since you picked up
a paintbrush or strummed a tune
the american psychological association
states that the defining feature of
clinical depression is markedly
diminished interest or pleasure in all
or most all activities
simply put this means that when you're
suffering from depression it's a
struggle for you to find joy or
enjoyment even in the hobbies and
activities that you once loved so much
it makes you lose passion for life
depression makes you unable to feel
motivated to do anything anymore and so
it robs you of even the simplest of
life's pleasures
number five the frustration of not being
able to just snap out of it have you
been told that a few days of rest and
relaxation can cure depression
one of the many reasons why depression
is such a devastating mental illness is
that a lot of people don't really
understand its true nature they think
that people who are depressed can just
snap out of it or just need to think
more positively there is no built-in
switch for this your feelings are every
bit as real as they feel you're not
obligated to feel any other way just
because others don't feel the same
number six the compulsive desire to
self-isolate why do counselors and
therapists alike stress the need for
those struggling with depression to have
a good social support system
even though you understand the need to
be surrounded by supportive loved ones
the truth is when you're depressed
you'll most likely feel a compulsive
desire to isolate yourself from others
with no energy or motivation to engage
in social interactions you tend to
prefer isolation
constant difficulty with communicating
finding enjoyment in things leads to
struggling with feelings of low
self-esteem and self-worth
talking to people and staying in touch
can often feel too overwhelming when
you're struggling with depression
triggering a need to withdraw from
society in general
number seven people thinking depression
is the same as sadness sadness is a part
of a healthy spectrum of human emotions
and is actually quite normal to feel
from time to time depression on the
other hand is a serious and debilitating
mental illness that needs to be treated
with professional help and therapy
these things are not all the same and
yet some people just can't seem to grasp
the difference
this can often feel very frustrating
especially when others disregard what
you're feeling as mere sadness and tell
you not to think about it
number eight people not understanding
that mental illness is real
many people still seem to think that
depression is a choice and mental
illness isn't real
but just because there are no physical
manifestations to see doesn't mean that
the suffering you feel is not real
it's not just in your head if you're
able to feel it then it is very much
real when others downplay its potency it
often leaves you feeling as if you're
doing something wrong as a result you
may even choose to remain silent about
it instead
number nine
people thinking depression is the same
for everybody
every individual's experience of a
mental disorder is different
depression doesn't look the same for
everybody some people might stop eating
and struggle with insomnia while others
might overeat and oversleep
some people have high functioning
depression and may not even seem like
they're struggling at all
and for others their depression might
force them to lie in bed all day and do
nothing
nevertheless all experiences of
depression are valid
and number 10
learning to celebrate the little things
finally but perhaps most importantly
when you struggle with depression even
the littlest of victories deserves to be
celebrated
got out of bed today
smile
managed a short conversation with
someone
took the time to brush your hair or take
a bath
give yourself a mental pat on back
those are all very very important
achievements to someone with depression
they might not mean much to other people
but for you struggling with mental
illness on an everyday basis
they make up the good days that remind
you why you need to keep fighting and
why it's so important to keep holding on
it's important to remember not to allow
others to dictate how you should feel
just because others are not feeling the
same does not make it any less real
there's no need to cover up or force
yourself to change these feelings
the fact that you're feeling it is
reason enough to validate it
if you are struggling with depression or
any other mental illness please know
that there is always hope and help and
that someday
things can be better seeking
professional help can help you on the
road to improvement
leave a comment down below about your
experience with depression if you'd like
please feel free to share any thoughts
you have as well if you found this video
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