Have you had a phase where you reject yourself, feel unworthy and even start to hate the things you once loved? This could be a phase of depression. Discover more with me as we take a dive into Depression and how to cure it.
Depression is a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, and also loss of joy. It is very different from the mood fluctuations that people regularly experience as a part of life.
Depression or major depressive disorder is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and sudden loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed to do.
Depression often persists in spite of a change of circumstances and causes feelings that are intense, chronic, and not proportional to a person’s circumstances. It is distinct from the negative feelings a person may temporarily have in response to a difficult life event.
While there are different types of depression, the most common one is major depressive disorder. It consists of episodes during which the symptoms last for at least two weeks or even more. Depression can last for several weeks, months, or years. For many people, it is a chronic illness that gets better and then they find themselves relapsing yet again. This is why we need to take a dive into depression and how to cure it.
Depression is nearly twice as common in females than males, according to research made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Researchers do not know why depression appears to be more common in females. However, a 2021 study proposes that the difference may be due to disparities in reporting. Researchers found that females were more likely than males to report and seek treatment for depression symptoms.
As we dive into depression and how to cure it, you need to keep in mind that Depression does not just occur and there are triggers that cause it and these include;
Stressful events.
For some people, stress is a very huge trigger of emotions that lead to depression. Most people take time to come to terms with stressful events, such as losing loved ones or a relationship break-up. When such stressful events occur, their risk of becoming depressed is increased if they make a mistake and stop seeing their friends and family and try to deal with their problems on their own, depression kicks in.
Personality
For some people, it is more of a personality traits that causes their depression. You may be more vulnerable to depression if you have certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem or being overly self-critical and this is majorly with introverts. This may be because of the genes you’ve inherited from your parents, your early life experiences, or even both.
Giving birth
Some women are particularly vulnerable to depression after pregnancy. The hormonal and physical changes, as well as the added responsibility of a new life, can lead to postnatal depression.
Use of Alcohol and drugs.
When life is getting some people down, they try to cope with the current situation by drinking too much alcohol or even taking drugs. This can also result in a spiral of depression. Weed can help you relax, but there’s evidence that it can also bring on depression, particularly in teenagers.
Well, having a drink could temporarily calm you down but once you are sober, the same feelings hit you over again, right?
We decided to take a dive into Depression and how to cure it because some people actually don’t even know that they are depressed. Here are a few symptoms of Depression;
Symptoms of Depression.
Continuous low mood or sadness.
When you find yourself often sad and feeling low, this could be your starting phase of depression. Do not ignore it and immediately take action on it. It is normal to feel low sometimes, but it is another cause to feel low continuously.
Feeling hopeless and helpless.
Aside from the low moods, if you constantly catch yourself feeling hopeless and helpless, chances are high that you are undergoing depression.
Having low self-esteem
Having low self esteem is highly attributed to depression. You believe that you are not good enough for anything or anyone, you do not believe in yourself, you feel unloved and you even do not love yourself
Feeling tearful
Depression always triggers your inner most emotions. If you are always feeling the urge to cry or you find yourself being tearful every now and then, then you are most definitely depressed.
Feeling irritable and intolerant of others
When you are depressed, you will find that you have no interest in interacting with people around you. You find them irritating and you feel you would rather coil yourself in a corner alone rather than interact with people.
Having no motivation or interest in things
When you are depressed, you certainly lose interest in everything you have been very thrilled by. You even lack motivation to do anything because at that particular time, you consider everything worthless and unfulfilling.
Not getting any enjoyment out of life.
With Depression, you no longer find joy even in the things that you used to love the most. You no longer enjoy all the small activities that used to make you feel alive hence you no longer feel like there is any joy attached to your life.
Feeling anxious or worried
If you find yourself constantly feeling worried or anxious about every tiny thing, then you are depressed. Anxiety moves hand in hand with Depression so if you happen to feel unsettled or constantly worried about even the minutest details, then chances are very high that you are going through Depression.
Having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming yourself.
Suicidal thoughts come as a result of feeling unloved or unwanted wherever you are. You then start to withdraw from everyone because you believe they do not need you in heir lives. The more useless and hopeless you feel, the deeper the urge to get rid of yourself because you are convinced that you do not matter. If you have thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life, then you are depressed.
While there is no cure for depression, there are effective treatments that help with recovery, which is why we decided to take a dive into Depression and how to cure it. The earlier that treatment starts, the more successful it may be. Here are a few pointers you could use to cure Depression;
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression
Food and diet.
Some research suggests that eating a lot of sugary or processed foods can lead to various physical health problems and this includes poor mental health. Results suggest that a diet that includes many of these types of food can affect the mental health of young adults and therefore it would be best to reduce on the sugar consumption.
The study also found that eating more of foods like fruits, vegetables, fish or olive oil helped reduce depression symptoms.
Receiving Therapy.
Psychotherapy or talking therapies for depression could also prove to be effective in curing depression. Therapies for Depression include CBT, interpersonal psychotherapy as well as problem-solving treatment. For some forms of depression, psychotherapy is usually the first-line treatment, while some people respond better to a combination of psychotherapy and medications.
CBT and interpersonal psychotherapy are the two main types of psychotherapy for depression. A person may have CBT in individual sessions with a therapist, in groups, over the telephone, or online. CBT focuses on helping a person identify the connection between their thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. They then work steadily to change harmful thoughts and behaviors.
When it comes to Interpersonal therapy, it aims to help people identify emotional problems that affect their relationships and communication, how these issues also affect their mood and of course how to improve their relationships with people around them and better manage emotions.
Doing Exercises.
Aerobic exercises help to raise endorphin levels and stimulate neurotransmitters, potentially easing depression and anxiety. Research states that exercise may be especially helpful with depression that tends to be treatment-resistant. Exercise offers the greatest benefits when a person combines it with standard treatments, such as antidepressants and psychotherapy.
Brain stimulation therapies
Brain stimulation therapies are another treatment option for Depression. For example, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation sends magnetic pulses to the brain, and this may help to treat major depression. If your depression does not respond to drug treatment, you may benefit from electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Doctors also do not fully understand how ECT works but it has been proved effective.
You may wonder how it is done. Well, during the procedure, a person is asleep, and a doctor uses electricity to induce a seizure. It is said that this seizure may help “reset” the brain, correcting problems with neurotransmitters or other issues that could have caused depression.
Use of Medication
Antidepressants can also help treat moderate to severe depression. Several classes of antidepressants are available and they include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
Each drug acts on a different neurotransmitter or combination of neurotransmitters in the brain. A person should only take these medications as prescribed by a doctor. Some drugs can take a while to have an impact hence a user needs to exercise patience.
Some people stop taking medication after symptoms improve, but this can lead to a relapse. You should always raise any concerns about antidepressants with a doctor, including any intention to stop taking the medication.
Depression is living in a body that fights to survive, with a mind that tries to die.
UNKOWN
Don’t give in to Depression and don’t give up living your beautiful life. Instead, take a dive into depression and how to cure it and have fun living.
Frequently Asked Questions.
What is the deepest form of depression?
Clinical depression is the more-severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder. It isn’t the same as depression caused by a loss, such as the death of a loved one, or a medical condition, such as a thyroid disorder.
What is the last stage of depression?
Acceptance. Depression creates a sensation of isolation as if you are lost in the wilderness with no direction. The final stage is acceptance, which means you have finally made peace with the reality of your mental illness.
How long is the longest depression?
It entirely depends on the person. Usually, the depressive episode length ranges from six months to eight months, depending on the person. While some people may have depression that fades, others may struggle with depression on and off their whole life.
Can depression make you lose memory?
Yes. Depression may cause short-term memory loss. A 2018 study on people with depression found that memory complaints had correlations with more severe symptoms of depression. A 2014 meta-analysis of previous research found a clear association between depression and cognitive performance.
