Ever wondered what depression feels like and whether or not you actually have depression?
In this article I’ll go through some of the following topics:
- Definition of depression and its causes
- What the symptoms are (or what depression feels like) and
- Whether depression can be cured
Definition and Causes
Most of us go through changes in mood throughout the day. At some points we might feel sad and at others we’re elated. These are normal reactions to what’s happening around us.
Sue, Sue and Sue (2013, 230) define depression as:
“a mood state characterized by sadness or despair, feelings of worthlessness, and withdrawal from others.”
According to the APA (American Psychiatric Association) depression “negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.” They also mention that feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities are also associated with depression.
So then, what causes depression? Why does it happen?
Causes
A number of studies have been conducted on the disorder in search of answers as to why people develop depression. In this section I’ll go over the multipath model for Depressive Disorders.
The multipath model, as set out in Sue et al. (2013), includes the Biological, Psychological, Social and Sociocultural Dimensions to explain possible causes of this disorder.
1. Biological Dimension
Biological explanations generally focus on neurotransmitters and stress-related hormones, genetics, the brain, circadian rhythm disruption, or interactions among these factors.
Neurotransmitters: Low levels of certain neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are associated with depression. Neurotransmitters are what regulates our emotions and basic physiological processes.
Genetics: DD (Depressive Disorders) tend to run in families. Some gender differences were also found during twin studies indicating that the chances are higher of inheritance among female twins. However, those predisposed to DD may or may not develop any symptoms. But it was found that genes interact with environmental factors that could lead to the development of DD.
Stress-related Hormones: Being exposed to stress during early development can have an effect on cortisol levels. This can increase your susceptibility to DD later in life especially if you are genetically predisposed. These stresses can include child abuse, early life trauma, childhood neglect etc.
Brain: Studies done on neuroimaging found decreased activity in brain changes in people with DD. These individuals also showed different patterns of neural activity compared to the control group.
Circadian Rhythm Disruption: Circadian rhythm disturbances can affect sleep which can lead to an increased risk of DD. For more on the importance of sleep, please read the full article here.
2. Psychological Dimension
According to behaviorists those suffering from DD have insufficient social reinforcement. These are usually individuals who are secluded, less social and therefore receive little companionship, affection etc.
On the other hand, cognitive psychologists believe that DD is likely the result of negative thought patterns. This results in pessimism, damaging self-views or feelings of helplessness.
Martin Seligman argues that our attributional style can have powerful effects on our mood (Nolen-Hoeksema, Girgus, & Seligman, 1992). They make specific mention to those displaying thinking patterns associated with learned helplessness.
Learned helplessness is a belief that we have very little control over what happens to us. They often make erroneous assumptions about their experiences.
3. Social Dimension
Stressful events can have a major impact on our mood and can increase our risk of developing depression. Some of these events can include the death of a loved one, serious illness etc.
Although this single event might not lead to full-on depression at first, another less severe stressor can trigger further depression.
Chronic social stress interacts with personal vulnerabilities which can lead to or produce depression.
4. Sociocultural Dimension
This section includes things like race, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender. All of these have an influence on DD, how we react to it, how it’s understood and decisions involving treatment.
Certain cultural beliefs may have an influence on the descriptions given to depression, interactions with healthcare providers and the likelihood of outcomes.
When it comes to gender it is worth noting that the prevalence of being diagnosed with DD is more common among women than men. However, there are suggestions regarding clinicians being biased toward diagnosing women with depression while others simply think that women are more likely to seek help than men.
Symptoms and What Depression Feels Like
Symptoms of depression can affect or lead to the following:
- Affect your well-being, work, school or social functioning
- Persist for days, weeks or months
- Can hold no reason for occurrence
- Involve extreme reactions that the individual is unable to explain (for what is happening in their life)
As for what depression it feels like, well each person’s experience is similar as well as different. It can include:
- Not wanting to be awake (thus sleeping more than usual)
- Unable to get up and get ready for work (therefore more missed days from work)
- Not being able to control eating patterns (either not eating or binge eating)
- Suicidal thoughts
- Negative thoughts about the self like being worthless
- Rumination (continually thinking about certain topics or reviewing distressing events)
DSM-5 Criteria for Major Depressive Episode
A major depressive episode involves a change in functioning that includes at least one of these symptoms most of the day nearly every day over a period of 2 weeks (or longer):
- A depressed mood, feelings of sadness, or emptiness and/or
- Loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyed activities.
The person must also experience at least four of these symptoms during the same period:
- Significant weight gain or weight loss or increases or decreases in appetite,
- Persistent changes in sleep patterns, involving increased sleep or inability to sleep,
- Observable restlessness or slowing of activity,
- Persistent fatigue or loss of energy,
- Excessive feelings of guilt or worthlessness,
- Persistent difficulty with concentration or decision making, or
- Suicidal behaviors or recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
Can Depression Be Cured?
Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to this question. Depression is not a physical illness that can be prescribed an anti-biotic and be cured within the next 7 days if the cycle is completed.
Throughout my years of studies, learning of others’ journeys and working with individuals suffering from mental disorders including depression, I don’t believe depression ever goes away in full.
For example, Seasonal Affective Disorder is characterized by the experience of depressive symptoms during certain seasons. Usually this occurs during the winter and fades during change of season. This doesn’t mean it’s cured. Those depressive symptoms will come back again next year during the same time.
In extreme cases there are people suffering from chronic depression – showing no signs of improvement while in therapy or on medication. These individuals require specialized medical care and may even be misdiagnosed.
The key is learning to live with it and knowing what depression feels like. I believe it can get better with a lot of hard work, but it never truly goes away.
It’s taking one day at a time and seeking therapy when you feel like you’re fighting a losing battle. Don’t wait until it’s too late, there’s no shame in seeking help. Everyone deserves help. In the meantime, make use of the tips given in this article.
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