Help Understanding and Overcoming Depression

Understanding depression is a key step to overcoming the depressive symptoms that can upset your life in so many ways. This article looks at what depression is as an illness, why it should be taken seriously, and how it differs from simply feeling sad or down. It lists and explains some common ways that depression manifests itself and some of the varied ways that are available to
treat it.

What is depression?

Depression is defined as a severely disabling mental condition that has a significant effect on all aspects of an individual’s life. The World Health Organization is an agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health, and in 2015 it reported that the proportion of the global population with depression is estimated to be 4.4%.

Depression must be taken seriously

This number climbs up to 10% in the US, according to a 2022 study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. It is clear that many of us suffer from some type of depression and, worryingly, depression is a major contributor to suicide deaths every year. The average percentage of people who suffer from depression fluctuates according to different age brackets.

And, while it peaks in older adults with a prevalence of more than 5.5% of males and 7.5% of females, both groups aged 55-74, depression also occurs in children and teenagers younger than fifteen years. Tragically suicide occurs in every age group and globally was the second leading cause of death in those between fifteen and twenty-nine years old.

Depression is different from feeling sad

The mood and feelings of affected persons are impacted by depression. The symptoms range from mild to severe with each person experiencing depression for different periods, from months to years. Depression disorders are diagnosable mental health conditions and are different from feelings of sadness, stress, or other feelings that we all experience throughout our lives.

The way depression manifests is different for each person. It can be long-lasting or happen repeatedly over the course of someone’s life. It can completely impair one’s ability to perform at school and work, or simply present as a much lower capacity to cope with daily life.

Depression is often characterized by a term known as cognitive dysfunction, meaning impaired concentration, memory, and decision-making. Studies have found that if these symptoms are not treated, then they can have a continued effect on an individual’s performance at work or elsewhere, even after the depressive symptoms have been dealt with.

Common symptoms of depression

According to the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a manual used to diagnose mental disorders, the criteria for depression are listed with five or more of the following symptoms during the same two-week time period. At least one symptom is either a depressed mood or loss of interest.

• A depressed mood for most of the day, nearly every day.
• A significant decrease in your enjoyment of things that you used to enjoy thoroughly such as hobbies or sports, or pursuing life-long interests and activities most or every day.
• Significant weight loss or weight gain through fluctuations in appetite and normal eating behaviors.
• Poor sleep during the night or finding that you are sleepy during the day despite a good night’s sleep, nearly every day.
• Experiencing a state of restlessness and anxiety that results in repetitive and unintentional movements nearly every day, also known or referred to as Psychomotor agitation.
• Feeling tired or finding that you have a significant loss of energy nearly every day.
• Excessive or inappropriate feelings of guilt or worthlessness.
• Inability to think or concentrate clearly, and daily indecisiveness.
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide (not just a fear of death).

Overcoming depression with movement and medication

Exercise

Studies consistently confirm that exercise is effective when combatting depression. This is mostly because it brings about changes in the brain including new thought and activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being.

Chemicals that are released during exercise are known as endorphins which energize you and make you feel good. In addition to these, exercise is a distraction and gives you some quiet time to break the depressive pattern of negative thoughts each time you get your heart rate up.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a helpful tool. When you practice it, you pay much closer attention to the present moment. This means that your focus is not about tomorrow or yesterday during this time. Instead, you focus your current thoughts, feelings, and the sensations that your body is feeling based on how you are experiencing the world around you through your five senses.

Social support

Enjoyment of close friendships and having a strong support system to help you during depression provide many positive benefits, such as having a higher level of self-confidence and other social and development skills. Studies have also shown that social support can reduce depression and anxiety, and this is a key reason that your primary care provider may refer you to a counselor.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are a common treatment for depressive symptoms that are usually prescribed by a psychiatrist or an individual’s primary care provider. Discuss the options and the benefits of taking medication for depressive symptoms when speaking regularly with a counselor.

The best treatment for depression is usually a combination of psychopharmacology, which is the treatment of mental health conditions by using pharmaceutical products as medication, and psychotherapy.

What can you expect from taking antidepressants?

Taking antidepressants to help overcome depression is something that most people with moderate or severe depression benefit from. However, this is not true for everyone. You may respond to one type of antidepressant but not another, and it may be that you may have to try two or more different medications before finding one that works best for you.

As you start to take antidepressants, you should see your Primary Care Provider or Psychiatrist regularly to discuss how well they are working for you. If the medication is working effectively, then it is likely that you will continue on a course of treatment for at least six months or longer after your symptoms have eased.

If you have had an episode of depression in the past, then note that you may be required to continue to take antidepressants for up to five years or more. While antidepressants are not usually addictive, individuals may experience some withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop taking them or miss a dose.

It is fundamental to the treatment of depression that once prescribed, the individual immediately takes the antidepressant medication as directed, and continues taking the medication as prescribed even when you are starting to feel better. If you stop taking the medication too soon, there is a chance that the depression may return, and the symptoms become worse.

Christian counseling for overcoming depression

If you’re looking for additional help for overcoming depression beyond this article, please browse our online counselor directory or contact our office to schedule an appointment. We would be honored to walk with you toward a place of healing and hope.