Descriptions of Depression

Feeling blue from time to time is absolutely normal. However, when these feelings last more than a few weeks, it’s usually a sign of depression.

It has been suggested that depression is just as frequent as the common flu. Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways people often describe their condition and see if you have ever felt something similar.

“I feel completely empty inside”

This is one of the most common signs of depression and it can include a lot of characteristics. Some feel confused, while others don’t feel anything at all. It’s an emotional void, caused by feelings of worthlessness and ;ack of meaning.

How we react to such feelings varies from one person to the next. That’s why depression has different interpretations, depending on the one experiencing it.

How to Understand It

In order to fully understand the emotional spectrum of depression, you have to experience it. But depression is clearly not what you would want in your life, not even for a short period of time. The best thing to do is rely on other people’s stories. Those who’ve struggled with this issue at some point in their lives, know what they’re talking about.

“Life is pointless”

For people who experience depression, life may seem completely pointless. The futility of life, completed with a lack of positive emotions, makes this burden difficult to bare. Keep in mind that meaning or purpose is at the center of most things we do, whether it is on a daily basis or in the long run.

If a person’s fundamental need for having purpose in life is unfulfilled, we can easily fall into an existential crisis. Without a clear purpose, people may find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning. That’s when depression “seeps” into your life, creating pain and confusion.

How to Regain Purpose

You have to implement small changes, sucha as house chores, shopping for groceries, pretty much anything that pushes you to do something constructive. 

“I feel alone and abandoned”

You might no longer enjoy the company of others, because most of them don’t seem to understand what you’re going through. Slowly but surely, solitude becomes a constant part of everyday life.

On the other hand, you may want to be supported and cared for by another, thus increasingly experiencing the negative aspects of isolation.

Finding Support

The reason why most therapists focus on getting people with depression out of their homes and into a group, is the dangers that lurk behind solitude. People who struggle with this issue tend to ruminate a lot. They spend countless hours alone with their negative thoughts.

It’s like slowly drowning in quicksand, without having someone close who can lend you a helping hand.

You will soon learn how to seek support from other more easily. 

“Nobody understands me”

No matter how hard we try, we will never be able to fully understand what depression feels like. Not without the help of people who personally deal or have dealt with this issue. But how do we convince someone who’s dealing with depression to open up and share his/her experience?

Giving advice and asking the person to share their experience is what most of us would probably do instinctively. However, it is important to keep in mind that most people who struggle with depression don’t react well to such interventions.

We have to understand that these individuals often feel completely misunderstood, alone and attacked. They don’t need our advice, they need someone to simply listen and accept them as they are.