Depression

Category: Lifestyle | Tags(#): Life , love

Image credits: Avant Art

Published Dec. 28, 2021, 2:39 p.m. by Jennifer Appoh (jenniferappoh@gmail.com)

Depression is one of the most difficult topics to discuss. Why? This is because you can't explain exactly how you feel and even when you can, there's no particular reason for why you feel that way. You are just depressed. You can add one or two things together and think those things may be causing it but guess what? You get these things and you realize it wasn't the lack of those things after all. One out of five people experience this in every society. It's becoming a dominant thing in our society. The year is about to end and I reckon that we might as well talk about the hard topics before 2022. Shall we? 

What is Depression? Depression is too much sadness. The experts have more to say about it though. How does one know that they have depression? According to a page I follow on Instagram, 'The Real Depression Project,' below are some symptoms of depression one should take note of: 

• The inability to feel pleasure or excitement about anything - this is when you are around things you'd ordinarily love but you find that you're just indifferent about it. 
• When your mind turns on you - this is when your mind gets filled with negative intrusive thoughts and you feel trapped in them
• Becoming disconnected from 'who you are' - this is when you become consumed by your symptoms and lose track of yourself.
• The unbearable loneliness - here, you feel totally alone with your struggle and your brain keeps telling you others would be better off without you.
• Feeling Disoriented - days or weeks become blurred and you lose track of the simple day-to-day tasks and habits.
• Feeling hopeless - this is because sleep didn't give you the relief you craved so you feel trapped.

There isn't always a direct trigger for one's depression. Sometimes it kicks in as soon as you wake up. If you find yourself in any of these categories, then you are depressed. There are more indicators but I think these are the dominant ones. Now that we are clear about the symptoms how do we get ourselves out of it?  I can suggest a few things to do. 

• Talk yourself out of it; mostly we replace thoughts with thoughts when we ought to replace them with words. Whenever you find yourself sinking in this mood speak yourself out of it with your mouth. For example,  "No no I refuse to feel this way, I replace these thoughts with thoughts of joy, peace and warmth," and believe me, it works! 
• Talk to someone; Now here's the catch; talk to someone who will understand and is mature to acknowledge what you are going through in order to help you or seek professional help.
• Avoid crowds that make you feel worse.
• Talk to God; sometimes you have nothing to say but trust me your silent moans are heard by him.
• Listen to uplifting songs, watch uplifting movies - mostly we just wallow in self-pity or whatever feeling we are in by indulging it. We listen and watch things that make us feel worse. Desist from doing that and open yourself up to positivity.

These are only a few of many other things you can do but you need to try your best to get out of depression. Stop looking at all the things that could or are going wrong and look at all the things that can go right. You are loved, valued and appreciated. Your immediate group may not show you that but you have a whole lot of people rooting for you. I am rooting for you and I care about you. I'm sure we have many people like me rooting for you.  Win that battle of the mind and live your best life. Life is very short for you to live in so much sorrow.  Let's recognize these and try our best to reach out to the people around us.  You never know who is going through depression.

Stay blessed! Stay happy!! Merry Christmas!!! 

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Don't write what you think people want to read.Find your voice and write about what's in your heart....... Quentin Tarantino.