Feelings, Emotions and Depression

In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer ~ Albert Camus

 

Feelings come about in a response to an action or event. The more radical or dramatic the event, the more drastic is the feeling. If feelings are pushed down or suppressed, they don’t just go away or disappear. Sometimes due to lack of ability to identify feelings or in an attempt to not acknowledge them we say “I’m fine”. Feelings are not right or wrong, they just are. We need to identify the feelings, own them and lastly process them. All humans have basic emotional needs. These needs can be expressed as feelings, for example the need to feel accepted, respected and important. While all humans share these needs, each differs in the strength of the need, just as some of us need more water, more food or more sleep. One person may need more freedom and independence, another may need more security and social connections. One may have a greater curiosity and a greater need for understanding, while another is content to accept whatever he has been told. If they are very strong emotions we are feeling, a lack of acknowledgment or attention to it , will make them manifest into depression.

 

When a depressive state, or mood, lingers for a long time — weeks, months, or even longer — and limits a person's ability to function normally, it can be diagnosed as depression. We all go through ups and downs in our mood. Sadness is a normal reaction to life’s struggles, setbacks, and disappointments. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but depression is much more than just sadness. Whatever the symptoms, depression is different from normal sadness in that it engulfs your day-to-day life, interfering with your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and have fun. The feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness are intense and unrelenting, with little, if any, relief. Depression comes in many shapes and forms. The different types of depression have unique symptoms, causes, and effects.

 

Types of Depression

 

Major depression is a serious condition characterized by a persistent sad mood, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, the inability to feel pleasure or happiness, and the inability to enjoy life. The symptoms are constant, ranging from moderate to severe. Left untreated, major depression typically lasts for about six months. Some people experience just a single depressive episode in their lifetime, but more commonly, major depression is a recurring disorder. It typically interferes with day-to-day functioning like eating and sleeping. A child with major depression feels depressed almost every day. In kids, depression can appear as "bad moods" or irritability that persists for a long time, even if a child doesn't acknowledge being sad. However, there are many things you can do to support your mood and reduce the risk of recurrence.

 

Dysthymia or recurrent, mild depression may be diagnosed if sadness or irritability is not as severe but continues for a year or longer. Dysthymia is a type of chronic “low-grade” depression. More days than not, you feel mildly or moderately depressed, although you may have brief periods of normal mood. The symptoms of dysthymia are not as strong as the symptoms of major depression, but they last a long time (at least two years). These chronic symptoms make it very difficult to live life to the fullest or to remember better times. Some people also experience major depressive episodes on top of dysthymia, a condition known as “double depression.” If you suffer from dysthymia, you may feel like you’ve always been depressed. Or you may think that your continuous low mood is “just the way you are.” Kids with dysthymia often feel "down in the dumps." They can have low self-esteem, feel hopeless, and even have problems sleeping and eating. Unlike major depression, dysthymia does not severely interfere with day-to-day functioning but the "down mood" is a pervasive part of the child's world. However, at least 10% of those with dysthymic disorder go on to develop major depression.

 

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is characterized by cycling mood changes. Episodes of depression alternate with manic episodes, which can include impulsive behaviour, hyperactivity, rapid speech, and little to no sleep. Typically, the switch from one mood extreme to the other is gradual, with each manic or depressive episode lasting for at least several weeks. When depressed, a person with bipolar disorder exhibits the usual symptoms of major depression. However, the treatments for bipolar depression are very different. In fact, antidepressants can make bipolar depression worse. It is characterized by episodes of low-energy depression (sadness and hopelessness) and high-energy mania (irritability and explosive temper). Bipolar disorder may affect as many as 1% to 2% of kids. More than 2 million adults have bipolar disorder, which often develops in the late teen years and early adulthood. Research in kids is not comprehensive, but experts believe that kids and teens with bipolar disorder can experience a number of problems, including attention deficit disorders, oppositional behaviour disorders, anxiety, and irritability in addition to changes in mood from depression to mania.

 

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) , There’s a reason why so many movies and books portray rainy days and stormy weather as gloomy. Some people get depressed in the fall or winter, when overcast days are frequent and sunlight is limited. This type of depression is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Seasonal affective disorder is more common in northern climates and in younger people. Like depression, seasonal affective disorder is treatable. Light therapy, a treatment that involves exposure to bright artificial light, often helps relieve symptoms.

 

Depression can mean anything. From being unable to speak to being unable to move. It can be brought about by many things such as unemployment, illness, bereavement, dysfunctional relationships, financial burdens, loneliness and many external factors. Counselling involves trying to enable the client to express the deep down feelings which they have suppressed or to learn how to counteract their negative emotions. Not all causes of depression can be linked to situations or circumstances. Sometimes it is also caused due to biological imbalance which vary in degrees of severity in various phases of life. There is little that a counsellor can do with a manic depressive other than the depressive receiving treatment from a general practitioner in the form of medication. The counselling must be on going while the depressive is on medication too. Effective treatment for depression often includes some form of therapy. Therapy gives you tools to treat depression from a variety of angles. Also, what you learn in therapy gives you skills and insight to prevent depression from coming back. Some types of therapy teach you practical techniques on how to reframe negative thinking and employ behavioural skills in combating depression. Therapy can also help you work through the root of your depression, helping you understand why you feel a certain way, what your triggers are for depression, and what you can do to stay healthy. Please feel free to add in any comments or suggestions you feel will help in the study of this topic.