It’s not just feeling sorry for yourself. It’s not something that can be controlled at ease. It is a disease.
Many people are sad in today’s world. They’re sad about their job, who their friends are, their current situation, and where their life is going, but depression is different from sadness.
Depression hits you to your core. It makes you feel worthless, weak and meaningless. The worst part is that you feel so alone and hopeless that you think no one can help. There will always be someone willing and trying to help you as long as you are willing to help yourself, but sometimes people can’t actually help.
There are a few common misconceptions about depression that really don’t help the situation.
It’s out of your control. There isn’t a magical switch in your brain that you can just flip to happy. If there were, it would be on all the time. Telling someone to “cheer up” because they’ve got “nothing to be upset about” is so out of line. No, you might not have a lot to complain about. You might live in big houses and drive fancy cars, but that doesn’t cure your depression. No matter how good or bad your situation in life is, you can still be depressed.
People don’t understand that, when you’re depressed, you want to wallow deeper in your depression. It’s not healthy and it’s so dangerous, but it’s not the same as feeling sorry for yourself. You wallow because the depression has become familiar and oddly comforting. You want to be left alone, but want so bad for someone to reach out and help. And when they finally do reach out, you push them away, because either you don’t want to be a burden or you don’t want to be bothered.
The people who genuinely do care help to an extent, but they don’t understand fully if they've never experienced depression themselves. When someone asks, “Are you OK?” and you respond, “Yes,” that should be the end of it. They shouldn't continue prodding you with "Are you sure?" That does nothing but frustrate and annoy you.
Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. There is no rhyme or reason to the sadness you feel. But you are not alone, and you can be helped.
The best way to look at it is scientifically through medicine. Medication can fix the chemical imbalance in your brain, allowing you to release hormones and endorphins at a normal rate.
I struggled with depression for the longest time. I never wanted to be medicated because I never wanted my happiness to be artificial. I wanted to be able to still be happy on my terms and be myself. I was scared the medication would change who I am and change my happiness. It didn’t.
I still have my depressed moments. I still have my downward spirals. But it’s so much easier to cope with knowing that it will be better and that it’s not permanent.
When you’re trying to go through your depression on your own, it feels like it will never be better because you feel like no one knows what you are going through. Doctors know. Therapists know. They are there to help you. Use them.
Don’t suffer from your depression. Fight it. Fight it however you can because it will be worth it and it will get better.
