How To Identify And Fight Depression?

Depression is something that people don’t feel comfortable discussing openly, unlike any other problem. Have you ever wondered why do people try to hide their emotions? Or why exactly do people not talk about problems like mental illness? What makes them aloof and exclusionary? We know that depression is one kind of mental illness. It is something people are unwilling to take up for a discussion in genetral. But now there is a realization about the matter that it needs to be talked about. Or else the problem for this will exist without any awareness, and people will suffer silently and take a drastic step if not checked at the right time. At different phases of our lives, we may feel sad and miserable. But if it stays more than the required duration, then it needs to be monitored.

What is depression?

Depression is a mental disorder / illness that causes a lack of motivation or cheerfulness within oneself. It is often due to a continuity of melancholy in one’s life for more than the usual period. It can dreadfully affect you mentally, physically, and emotionally. It drains your energy, and you tend to lose interest in the work you do. When you suffer from depression, you feel less confident, affect your sleeping cycle, feel laziness all the time, lose your appetite, undergo a remorse feeling, experience misbalanced thoughts. It enormously affects the quality of life. If the matter of depression is not dealt with medically, then it has the potential to take a toll on your personal and as well as professional life. You can destroy your relationships with your partner, colleagues, friends, family, and relatives. You must have encountered that people suffering from depression are often unproductive and irresponsible with their work. They find it hard to balance out their life. It takes a deliberate turn if it remains unshared. A suppressive mind can go to any extreme length. So, in that case, professional help is always suggested. We mistake it by taking it lightly, and we think it can go away on its own. The research findings have shown that 70% of women  suffer from depression as compared to men. So let us find out in detail about depression in men and women.

Depression in Men:

Men have this the conception of portraying themselves as strong in terms of emotions. When depression hits, it doesn’t see any gender. Men too can face depression. Men with depression resort to drugs and alcohol. They lose interest in their work and stop enjoying it. Hiding it or being too harsh on oneself is not a solution. Often it tends to get ignored. There is a myth in the society that men need to be tough, and they are not supposed to express their problems and emotions.

Symptoms of depression in men:

• Anger:  The most common of all is anger. When a man is depressed, it usually happens that he tends to be in a violent and abusive mental state as he tries to hide his irritability. Often the irritation turns out to be aggressive.
• Rash conduct of self:   It refers to the exhibition of casual behavior of self. Also, the consumption of drugs and alcohol in excess. Finally, indulge in things that are dangerous and harmful.
• Physical sufferings: when   in depression, the worst affected is health. Some of them experience headaches, irregular sleep, and also diet abnormalities.

Depression in women:

Like men, women too suffer from depression. When it comes to depression, women are much more vulnerable.

Symptoms of depression in women:

• Exposure to stress:  Women are more prone to stress and anxiety. The tensions are often triggered and can lead to depression in women.
• Menstrual cycle:  hormonal factor causes depression in women. It is the monthly menstrual flow that every woman faces. It causes a lot of irritation, fatigue, mood swings in women due to this. We also see that in both PMS & PMDD, bloating, changing habits of food and sleep, irritation, disruptive mood changes take place in extreme cases.
• Pregnancy: In women, pregnancy is another sensitive issue related to depression. A lot of hormonal changes occur during this time. Other factors are miscarriage, infertility, uninvited motherhood, etc.

Root causes of depression: 

There are no such exact justifications or explanations behind the cause of depression. But it usually happens due to various occurrences of events, previous as well as recent. There are also multiple factors leading to depression. It can be genetic, exposure to vulnerable substances like medicine, drugs, alcohol. Some chemical imbalances within the body can be a reason for developing depression. 

How to fight depression?

• Practice mindfulness and meditation: Mindfulness helps us to realize the elegance of the surroundings that we often miss. And meditation helps our mind to calm us. In times of depression, meditation helps to control the inflow of worries, fear, and anxiety in a person. It works as a medicine.
• Introduce yourself to new things:   Never restrict yourself to try out different things. Instead, the exploration of new things can turn your mood for the better. During that time, you must engage yourself with work. Delaying the act may increase the pressure further, and this may lead to more stress and anxiety within you. The breakthrough takes place when you take up new challenges for yourself.
• Maintain a track of your negative thoughts:  Depression triggers one to getting into negative thoughts. The majority of our fears and guilt arise from the way we think. You might feel that when rumination comes, that you are perhaps not able to control them.
• Eat right and sleep tight:  Food can be fascinating as well as dangerous if the diet is unchecked. People in tension tend to overeat a lot or even starve. But it is advisable to bring control to the intake of diet as healthy food is always the best. For example, the consumption of spinach during depression can work positively. It contains magnesium that helps to improve sleeping practices and reduce anxiety. Other nourishing foods / drinks are green tea, almonds, eggs, quinoa, and lentils. These are substantial foods. And intake of them in your regular diet can work as a miracle in combating depression.
• Acceptance is the key to happiness:  Don’t dwell in the past. Try to live in the present moment. It doesn’t matter how rough the situation was for you. Sometimes, it is a struggle to accept the current scenario. But the past can trigger something negative, shatter you and make you feel worse. 

Conclusion:  

It is challenging to identify the reasons behind depression. Hence do reach out to your friends and family for support. But if it is bothering you too much, then professional help is necessary. Keep yourself or someone with symptoms of depression induced by saying that “I WILL COME OUT OF IT NO MATTER WHAT.”