Depression
Almost all of us experience, at different points in life, feelings such as “I don’t have the energy for anything,” sadness, emptiness, despair, deep fatigue, lack of motivation, and loss of interest. Sometimes, when asked how we are doing, we might respond with “I feel so depressed” or “I’m in a depression.”
These are natural responses to various life situations such as separation, loss, war, disappointment, overload, major changes, or ongoing burnout from routine. Difficulties at work or in close relationships, health challenges, or loneliness, all of these can affect our mood.
When Something Inside Simply Shuts Down
Depression is more than the feelings we may experience from time to time. When feelings of low mood persist for a long period, more than two weeks, and begin to cast a gray shadow over all areas of life, it may be a sign of depression. Depression can feel like a heavy cloud that follows us wherever we go, affecting everything we do. When we are depressed, the difficulty is not limited to one area, such as relationships or work, everything can feel heavy and overwhelming. It may even become hard to continue functioning as usual.
Depression Is Not a Sign of Weakness
Nor is it something we can simply “snap out of.” Statements like “pull yourself together” or “if you just try harder, you’ll manage” miss the point. This is not a choice, nor is it laziness, something that can be overcome just by making more effort. Depression is not your fault, and it can happen to anyone, at any age and at any stage of life.
Am I Depressed?
Depression is experienced differently by everyone. It can manifest as a deep sense of sadness, a feeling of emptiness, or a loss of interest in activities that once brought joy and excitement. You may find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, or find yourself consistently overwhelmed by negative thoughts.
Read more
When living with depression, even the smallest aspects of life can look and feel different. Calling a friend might seem like an impossible task. Foods you once loved may lose their flavor, and you might find yourself with no appetite at all, or, conversely, eating without being able to stop.
Sleep patterns often shift as well, either you are sleeping too much, or you find it nearly impossible to fall asleep at night. Simple, everyday tasks like taking a shower or tidying up the house can feel like an insurmountable mountain. These are all significant signs that something has changed.
It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between a “normal” rough patch and clinical depression. However, if you have been feeling this way for a while, it may be a sign that this is more than just a bad mood. If you are struggling to concentrate at work or school, if you feel that these feelings are significantly impacting your daily life, or if you are having thoughts that it might be better if you didn’t exist, these are critical signs that should be taken seriously.
What Causes Depression?
In most cases, there isn’t a single cause for depression, but rather a combination of several factors. Just as symptoms vary from person to person, the triggers for depression can be different for everyone.
Read more
Throughout life, we face challenges that can be difficult to manage. A painful breakup, the loss of a loved one, a health issue, or ongoing stress at work or school can leave us feeling overwhelmed and helpless, potentially leading to depression. In other cases, depression may stem from prolonged loneliness or past traumas resurfacing.
Sometimes, the cause isn’t clear, even to us. Everything might look “fine” on the outside, but inside, there is a sense of emptiness or deep sadness. This can be incredibly frustrating and confusing. In such instances, depression may be related to biochemical or hormonal changes, or a genetic predisposition.
Regardless of the cause, depression is not a choice, and it is not your fault. Just as people can fall ill physically, our mental and emotional well-being can also go through difficult periods.
What Can You Do If You Feel Depressed?
Often, the very steps that can help alleviate depression are the hardest ones to take, as they require the energy and motivation that depression often takes away.
Because of this, it is helpful to start with very small steps:
Listening to music.
Sharing your feelings with someone you trust.
Stepping outside, even for just a few minutes.
Read more
However, if the depression is persistent, severe, or recurring, seeking professional help is highly recommended. Remember: depression is not your fault. Even if you feel ashamed, or feel the urge to hide and “manage on your own,” it is okay and allowed to ask for help.
Articles on the Topic
If you are dealing with a mental health challenge, you have likely heard comments like: “You’re just being lazy,” “You’re just doing it for attention,” “Why can’t you just get over it?”, “You’re overreacting,” “It’s all in your head,” or “Everyone has it hard sometimes, why make such a big deal out of it?” These […]
Pregnancy and childbirth are periods filled with every imaginable sensation, emotion, and thought. The arrival of a new baby is a life-altering event, perhaps more so than almost any other. It is a change that encompasses every area of our lives, whether it is a first birth that brings the transition into parenthood, or subsequent […]
There is often a debate about whether discussing death by suicide, by parents, educators, and in the media – increases the risk or, on the contrary, reduces it and even saves lives. In the past, talking about death by suicide was almost a taboo. The assumption was that the very act of talking about it […]
Self Help Tips
Grounding – Here and Now
Similar to moments of anxiety, when we feel overwhelmed or as if we are “drowning” in the heaviness of depression, we can use grounding techniques to help reconnect to the present moment and gently interrupt the stream of negative thoughts.
Grounding through breathing
Take slow, deep breaths into the lower abdomen. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body calm down. You can place one hand on your abdomen and one on your chest.
Grounding through the senses
Try to notice:
5 things you can see (for example, in a specific color such as green),
4 things you can hear,
3 things you can touch,
2 things you can smell,
and 1 thing you can taste.
Patience
Coping with depression takes time, it is a process. This can be an opportunity to allow ourselves to rest and heal at our own pace. Even when we have difficult days, they are part of our journey and do not define our worth.
Depression is a real and common mental health condition, not a sign of weakness or failure. Despite the tendency, during depression, to view everything, including ourselves, through a critical lens, we can try to find within us a voice of self-compassion. Acknowledging what we are going through is an important step toward feeling better.
Sharing and Talking About Depression
Talking to someone about how we feel can be challenging, it may be accompanied by guilt, shame, and deep exhaustion. At the same time, speaking with someone we trust can be strengthening and can help ease feelings of loneliness and disconnection.
Depression may lead us to think things like “I’m a burden” or “people would be better off without me,” but when we talk to someone we trust, we often discover that the opposite is true. People care about us and want to help.
If it feels difficult to reach out to someone close, it is always possible to turn to ERAN’s support lines.
Small Steps
Often, the very actions that could help ease depression are the hardest to take, because they require motivation, initiative, energy, and desire, all of which can feel out of reach when we are depressed.
So it can help to start with very small steps. Every step, even the tiniest one, counts. And if we didn’t manage today, it’s important to remember that tomorrow is another opportunity.
A small step can be anything we enjoy: listening to music we love, stepping outside into the sunlight even for a short time, writing, drawing, or preparing something simple and nourishing to eat. Small steps of doing something kind for ourselves can make a difference.