Understanding Your Depression (and Finding a Way Out)
If you’re a human being, you’ve likely experienced depression. Being bummed out. Low energy. Blah. And depression is like a vicious cycle: The stuff that would help us feel better seems like it takes too much energy, so we continue to blah away our day and then the depression gets more entrenched.
So...What to do since that’s the case?
Understand depression. I love the garden hose analogy-- Depression is like a crimped garden hose: On one side is water ready to pour out (your emotions) and on the other is a limp hose (depression). When you go all garden hose limp, it’s involuntary. Your brain/body have registered stress (environmental and then inner emotional response) as intense enough to warrant shutting down the whole operation. So you get slowed down, or deadened, or lethargic...meanwhile also sensing the force of energy right behind the lethargy.
Externalize. Rather than seeing yourself as the depression, see if you can let it sink in that your nervous system is doing something that was out of your conscious control. It’s shutting you down because it considers that the safest and smartest thing to do.
Notice. The more you can pay attention to what’s happening in your body and in your thoughts, the more you’re developing what I (and many others) like to call the observing mind. When you can look at yourself and what’s happening, you’re more likely to become aware of choices. You’re also likely to feel less freaked out by whatever your feelings are, because you’re taking an honest look at them.
Labeling emotions. If you can label your emotions, you are likely to experience what is called regulation. Your nervous system is less likely to register stress when you give your emotions air time to be seen and felt. The big categories of emotions you might notice are: sadness, anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and surprise. It’s entirely possible to experience a number of emotions at the same time.
Be brave and get support. Sometimes folks need some support as they become more comfortable working with their depression. After all, the reason their nervous system has crimped the garden hose is because things felt too stressful to deal with solo! So reach out: to me (genoa.hamiel@gmail.com), to your network. See about finding the support you need until you can work through depression on your own.