We’ve all heard the phrases, “I’m so depressed,” or “that’s so depressing,” but what do they really mean? What does it truly mean to have depression, and how is it different from general sadness? These are all tough questions that are nevertheless important to explore; of course, one article can’t fully capture and explain depression, but understanding what it is is a great start to the important journey in better understanding mental illness.
Let’s start by looking at sadness. One key thing to understand is that sadness is a part of depression, but they’re not the same. Sadness is a common human emotion that everyone will experience at one point or another in their life. Usually, sadness is described as “feeling low” or “feeling down.” It tends to be relieved after a short time through activities like crying or venting. Additionally, sadness has identifiable triggers, like losing a job, failing a test, or losing a loved one.
In contrast, depression is a clinically diagnosed mental illness that typically does not go away on its own. Unlike sadness, depression tends to last for longer than two weeks, and sometimes doesn’t have an identifiable trigger. Depression is marked by symptoms like sadness, as well as loss of motivation, trouble sleeping, hopelessness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities one used to enjoy, and more. It tends to feel overpowering and can affect your relationships with yourself and others. For example, someone with depression may withdraw from social scenes, have feelings of self hatred or disappointment, or struggle concentrating on conversations with others. Lastly, in more severe cases of depression, some may experience difficult thoughts about death or ending their lives.
While it’s possible for depression to occur with no known cause, there are some common risk factors that we should be aware of. These factors can include things such as early childhood or teenage trauma, inability to cope with a devastating life event, low self–esteem, a family history of mental illness, or many others, which you can find more information about here. Depression can also be a side effect of some medications including corticosteroids, beta–blockers, hormonal medications, or statins.
If you think you may be experiencing depression, it’s imperative that you reach out to your doctor for medical advice. Asking for help can truly be one of the hardest steps of recovery, but it will always be worth it. If your doctor does find that you’re suffering from depression, there are several well-researched treatments they may recommend.
It has been found that the most effective way to treat depression is through a combination of therapy and medication. Therapy provides you with a space to focus on yourself and how you really feel in the moment. It also provides an opportunity for you to learn important coping skills that may help you when you are struggling. A great place to start looking for a therapist is through your school’s psychological services, and the website PsychologyToday.
Medication is also important, because it helps counteract the very real chemical changes that may be occurring in the brains of those struggling with depression. For example, many people who suffer from depression commonly have a decreased amount of serotonin in their brain. Serotonin is a hormone that stabilizes the mood and leads to feelings of well–being and happiness. Many antidepressants help correct this imbalance through complex mechanisms in the brain, thereby leading to an improved and more stable mood.
It’s important for us to recognize and have some understanding of what depression really is, as it affects over 16.1 million adults in the United States. Through educating ourselves on mental illness and the difference between sadness and depression, we’ll be better prepared to fight mental disorders ourselves or to provide support to a loved one who may be struggling.
If you or a loved one is struggling with a life–threatening mental health issue, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.