The reality of living with chronic depression is an unpleasant one. Many who suffer from this mental affliction have to fight a never-ending battle, feeling hopeless, lost, and defeated.
Living with depression will have you feeling hopeless, discouraged, and overwhelmed. According to Psyche Central, these feelings intensify when the sufferer of depression faces difficult situations, realities, and world events. If you feel this way, you are not alone 16 million United States adult citizens suffer from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
What Is A Depressive Episode?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), during a depressive episode, the person experiences a depressed mood, feeling sad, irritable, empty, or a loss of pleasure or interest in activities for most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks. Numerous other symptoms are also present, including poor concentration, extreme guilt or low self-worth, hopelessness about the future, thoughts about death or suicide, disrupted sleep, changes in appetite or weight, and fatigue.
- Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, an estimated 5% of adults suffer from depression.
- Depression is a leading cause of worldwide disability and disease.
- More women are affected by depression than men.
- Depression can lead to suicide.
- There is an effective treatment for mild, moderate, and severe depression.
Treatment Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
Even though these other people experience depression, your experiences are individualistic, and with treatment, it’s not one-size-fits-all. People with MDD can feel overwhelming tired. They may also feel restless. Depression can also affect concentration, but while some have difficulty making decisions or concentrations, others may not, and others may have trouble sleeping while you may sleep all the time. Not everyone experiences depression the same way, which is why it is so hard to treat. Finding the treatment that works best for you and sticking with it is recommended by experts at Psyche Central.
Misnomers Of Major Depression
Sufferers from depression often get told things like it’s all in your head, or it’s not real, get over it. According to Psyche Central, this is all but a fallacy. When it comes to depression, multiple factors, including a possible chemical imbalance, medical issues, stressful events, early trauma, or even your genes passed down from your parents, could all affect you. You can not just get over it when it comes to depression. Managing your symptoms is possible, whether it’s with treatment, medication, counseling, or other treatments. Although you can treat depression, it is impossible to eliminate or turn it off, as many believe.
Other misnomers include talking about your depression will make it worse, which has never been proven by any study or physician. Many who discuss depression and other issues feel better after doing so. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) research reports, talking with a therapist can help manage depression and other mental illnesses.
The reality of living with depression is a serious one, and while many stigmatize it, few understand it. Removing the stigma of depression and other mental illnesses and educating the masses is of the utmost importance.
