With all the meanness that inhabits our world, it's easy to 'get depressed' about it.
Throw in a tragic loss here and there -- of a loved-one, a good job, a childhood dream -- and it's easy to go full-on clinically depressed (you know, the kind that drags on for years.)
Left untreated, unaddressed, unnoticed -- occasional depression can lead to further problems, with even deeper depression -- and ultimately for far too people it can lead to thoughts of suicide, as well.
Depression is one bitter pill. It must have its 'evolutionary benefit', but for the life of me, I can't figure out what it is.
What Is Depression?
webmd.com
Most people have felt sad or depressed at times. Feeling depressed can be a normal reaction to loss, life's struggles, or an injured self-esteem.
But when feelings of intense sadness -- including feeling helpless, hopeless, and worthless -- last for many days to weeks and keep you from functioning normally, your depression may be something more than sadness. It may very well be clinical depression -- a treatable medical condition.
[...]
Here are common symptoms people with depression experience:
* Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
* Fatigue and decreased energy
* Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
* Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
* Insomnia, early morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
* Irritability, restlessness
* Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
* Loss of pleasure in life
* Overeating or appetite loss
* Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
* Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
* Thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts
But thankfully, Depression like most medical conditions,
CAN be treated.
Anti-depressants work wonders for restoring a healthy, balanced outlook on life. Many people swear by
them.
There are other 'non-medical' treatments as well ... ones which attempt to identify, and address and accommodate Depression's underlying root causes ...
This next Doctor's assessment really speaks to me, since I've been drawn to eastern philosophies from an early age (or one could say 'pushed into them' by a well-intentioned dad). As a result, I adamantly think that we are 'moral agents' in this Life. That what we do matters.
Decisions and choices we make, can like ripples in a pond can and DO effect others -- for both good and for bad -- and ultimately reflect back, and effect ourselves again. Once those waves of interaction reinforce and reflect back to us.
And the core of being a 'moral agent' in life (for me anyways) boils down to this:
Choose wisely, when you have a choice. And learn to rely on your inner self-esteem and serenity, when you don't.
But that aside, here is what that "Eastern" Doctor, has to say on root causes of Depression. (Hint: it seems to have a lot to do with overpowering thoughts and feelings of
'helplessness'):
The True Cause Of Depression
by Alex Lickerman, Happiness in this World -- Reflections of a Buddhist Physician
[...]
DEPRESSION ALWAYS HAS A CAUSE
Where, then, does the true cause of depression lie? In the context of the critically important caveat that clinical depression is almost certainly more than one disease with more than one proximate cause, I would hypothesize that in most cases depression arises at its core from a belief that we’re powerless to solve our problems.
This is clearly true with people who know why they’re depressed: invariably, once they figure out how to solve their particular problem, their depression lifts. But I would also argue this likely holds true for people who are depressed for no reason they know as well. Why? Because thoughts can trigger feelings that remain stirred up long after the thoughts themselves have been forgotten. Some studies have suggested people think upwards of 12,000 thoughts per day. How could we ever remember them all? Yet a fleeting thought we might have had this morning about the possibility of losing our job can and often does leave an emotional residue that lasts hours, days, weeks, or even longer. I would argue, therefore, any depression that appears to be “chemical” may in fact be caused by a thought that simply isn’t remembered -- a thought about a problem we don’t believe we can solve. (I should note, on the other hand, that many of my psychiatrist friends tell me they have depressed patients who tell them their lives are “just fine” but that they’re depressed anyway. [...])
Further, sometimes what appears to be a “chemical” depression is caused by a thought that isn’t directly or consciously recognized. These thoughts are often about problems that seem so unbearably awful and unsolvable we literally don’t want (and often refuse) to think about them (such as our becoming jobless or the prospect of our own death).
[...]
[emphasis in the source.]
Interesting "negative thoughts" can leave negative, mood-altering chemical residue in the brain? Well I knew high-stress situations that elevate Cortisol level in the body -- and that "at sustained high levels, cortisol gradually tears your body down" -- but who knew what one routinely thinks, can cause reinforce and deepen a depressive outlook, as well.
It's hard "to shake-it-off" and become a cheery, hopeful soul, when so many of the recurring events in your life, 'all conspire' to remind you, how 'pointless' it all is -- how 'powerless' you are to do anything about it.
If "Life is Good" ... then where in the world does that On-ramp start? ... more than one anguished soul has cried out at one time or another.
And the philosophical thinkers over the ages, have answered back:
"The journey of a thousand miles starts out with but a single step" ...
Dealing with Depression
Self-Help and Coping Tips to Overcome Depression -- helpguide.org
[...]
The road to depression recovery
Recovering from depression requires action, but taking action when you’re depressed is hard. In fact, just thinking about the things you should do to feel better, like going for a walk or spending time with friends, can be exhausting.
[...]
Start small and stay focused
The key to depression recovery is to start with a few small goals and slowly build from there. Draw upon whatever resources you have. You may not have much energy, but you probably have enough to take a short walk around the block or pick up the phone to call a loved one.
Take things one day at a time and reward yourself for each accomplishment. The steps may seem small, but they’ll quickly add up. And for all the energy you put into your depression recovery, you’ll get back much more in return.
[...]
Ways to challenge negative thinking:
* Think outside yourself. [...]
* Allow yourself to be less than perfect. [...]
* Socialize with positive people. [...]
Types of negative thinking that add to depression:
* All-or-nothing thinking [...]
* Overgeneralization [...] (“I can’t do anything right.”)
* The mental filter [...] Noticing the one thing that went wrong, rather than all the things that went right. [...]
* Jumping to conclusions [...]
* ‘Shoulds’ and ‘should-nots’ -- Holding yourself to a strict list of what you should and shouldn’t do, and beating yourself up if you don’t live up to your rules.
* Labeling – Labeling yourself based on mistakes and perceived shortcomings (“I’m a failure; an idiot; a loser.”)
[...]
Depression self-help tip 3: Take care of yourself [...]
* Do things you enjoy (or used to) [...]
Depression self-help tip 4: Get regular exercise [...]
Depression self-help tip 5: Eat a healthy, mood-boosting diet [...]
[emphasis added.]
All good life-style choices. I recommend these tips highly (even if you're not depressed.)
And I would add too, to the good Doctor's root cause of Depression [the core sense that "we're powerless"], this simple core cause as well:
Depression arises at its core from an unhealthy focus on the idea that we’re the center of our own little universe.
There is a big wide world out-there, outside of our repetitious experiential bubbles. One filled with smart, caring, funny --
and also hurting -- people. And by withdrawing from that world, one is cutting off their 'life lines' from the world of possibilities -- from Life
that's 'yet to be'.
It is a rare soul, that can refill their 'tanks of self-esteem', by simply relying on their own self-congratulatory thoughts and inner dialogs. For life to be truly meaningful, that life must be shared ... must be Co-lived. (It's part of our DNA.)
Sooner or later a healthy, engaged, purpose-filled person, needs to 'step outside' of their personal insular bubble, and actually dare to Live. To interact. To dare to love, again.
OK, ... stepping off philosophic soapbox now ...
And besides from a practical viewpoint as a 'moral agent of change', there's always someone out there, who could benefit from the 'wealth of your experience' ... So spend it wisely.
Change what you can. Endure and carry on through all those 'mean' events, that can seem so immutable and unchanging.
Maybe someday, maybe even those 'immovable objects of hate' will be washed away, by the millions of reflected waves ... that once started out as 'your own unique voice' ... trying by sheer power of will to "make your small difference" in this often very-challenging world.