Great Lessons Depression Teaches Us
While what it is actually is something many people don’t know, depression remains to be one of the most common mental health disorders that often lead people astray and even force some to take away their own life. Frustrations, disappointments, and setbacks - many people use ‘depression’ to describe all these feelings. But depression is more than feeling down. It involves persistent sadness that makes it tough for a person to function and enjoy life like he or she did before.
Depression isn’t something we want to experience. It has debilitating symptoms, both physical and psychological in nature. Still, many people who successfully recover from this mental illness would agree that no matter how bad this condition may seem, it provides us genuine lessons that can make life so much better in the long run.
We shouldn’t do it alone. When we are feeling sad, most of us choose to isolate themselves from others. But study after study suggests that we are able to solve problems and deal with difficult emotions when we seek help and support from others. Just having someone to listen to you is enough to subside the negative feelings. Learn to be more open with your feelings to a trusted friend or family member. If you don’t find it comfortable confiding to your peers and family, talking to a trained mental health professional greatly helps. Remember that you can always avail yourself of support anywhere you are, and no matter what situation you’re in.
Negative emotions are a good thing too. Yes, you read it right. All emotions - good or bad - serve a vital purpose. Even during moments of depression, good things could come out. For instance, many people are most creative when they are feeling depressed. Some of the greatest artists and writers in the world created their masterpieces when they were depressed. Also, difficult moments can help strengthen our relationship with our family. Often, we fail to appreciate their presence and support. But then, in times of struggles, we realise that there are people who really care about us.
You can still help others. Depression brings out feelings of hopelessness. When you are depressed, you feel like you can’t do anything, not even help yourself feel better. But the moment we open our eyes and notice the people around us, we begin to realise that some people are going through the same if not through a situation worse than ours. Helping others, especially those who are also going through depression and other mental illness, has been shown to have therapeutic benefits. Think about support groups. They are a proven therapy intervention for people suffering from depression and other kinds of mental illnesses.
You have to be your body’s best friend. It is easy to feel worthless when you are dealing with depression. This mental illness makes us lose sight of our positive qualities and just focus on the negative. It makes us notice our weaknesses past our strengths. But as you recover from it, through therapy, you begin to appreciate yourself even more. You realise that all those negative self-thoughts were just part of the illness, and don’t hold true. You gain back your confidence and you end up becoming a better person.
Don’t stop believing. The biggest part of a person’s recovery rate in depression is believing that there’s a better, brighter future that lies ahead. Thinking that you can never be ‘depressed’ forever is the jumpstart towards success and healing. Developing an optimistic mind-set can be difficult. But with support from your loved ones, and with professional intervention, you can get through it.
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