Major depression is just one kind of depression which can become present in someone’s life. Depression is oftentimes an emotional response more than it is a mood disorder. For example, depression is identified as one of the five stages of grief outlined by Elizabeth Kubler Ross. Depression can be a response to the changing of the seasons or a shift in weather. Depression is also part of bipolar disorder. Commonly, symptoms of depression are part of the symptoms of anxiety. Feeling sad is only one way that depression manifests and is not a strong enough factor to determine that the experience of sadness is necessarily the experience of depression. You may be feeling more sad than usual, more hopeless, and more helpless. Depending on what is going on in your life, and the other symptoms you are experiencing, depression may not be a proper diagnosis. To receive the best diagnosis possible, it is pertinent to meet with a licensed psychiatrist.
Identifying Depression
Depression is most often characterized as pervasive sadness, lethargy, fatigue, exhaustion, hopelessness, and melancholy. However, depression can also manifest as anger, anxiety, angst, high energy, and other symptoms. As with any diagnosis of a mental illness, depression symptoms differ per each individual, who they are, what has been involved in their life, and much more.
Sadness Is Normal
Grieving is a natural part of the recovery process, particularly when the focus is on trauma. In order to move forward with our lives, we have to move through the past which oftentimes involves honoring the loss of innocence, the loss of freedom, and whatever losses need to be mourned as a result of trauma. Too often, however, people are diagnosed and treated for depression as independent of trauma, reinforcing negative beliefs about being “broken” or “damaged” from trauma. While it is true that depression can be a manifestation of trauma, depression can also be a symptom of the trauma recovery process. Many times, feeling uncomfortable feelings like grief, mourning, sadness, and the many emotions associated with these emotional experiences is triggering for trauma survivors. With treatment and therapy, becoming comfortable with uncomfortable feelings becomes a reality.
Trauma is most often the root cause of many emotional, behavioral, and mood disorders. Until you can heal your trauma, you will find great difficulty finding the healing you need to live a life of recovery, health, and wellness. At Khiron House, we provide effective residential treatment and cutting edge therapies which seek to transform mind, body, and spirit from the effects of trauma. Call us today for information. UK: 020 3811 2575 (24 hours) USA: (866) 801 6184 (24 hours).
