Depression. The problem of the majority of today's world. Have you discovered all the facts? Learn them today.
It will not be another article about depression known from medical portals or best-selling books. It will be a holistic approach to this condition, although the medical aspect will be mentioned, too.
Some parts of this approach may not be accepted by academic medicine, though, e.g. the influence of other beings on people. Let's start with the definition of depression:
What Is Depression
Let's study some quotes:
"When you are depressed, you need the love of other people, and yet depression fosters actions that destroy that love. Depressed people often stick pins into their own life rafts. The conscious mind can intervene. One is not helpless." - ANDREW SOLOMON
"Sad hurts but it's a healthy feeling. It is a necessary thing to feel. Depression is very different." - J.K. ROWLING
"You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness." - JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER
"Depression is a state of mind that forces you to act destructively, you destroy not only yourself but everything around you. - Aron
What Does Academic Medicine Say?
Let's look at the clinical definition first, say presented on the HSE website. Generally, if you have clinical depression:
you feel sad, and hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy,
you have these symptoms for at least 2 weeks,
the symptoms are serious enough to interfere with work, social life or family.
The website lists the symptoms that happen in the physical, emotional and social fields of life. For example, psychological symptoms comprise tearfulness, irritability, feeling worthless, guilty, anxiety, worry and intolerance of others.
Moreover, you may also find no enjoyment in life, have no motivation or interest in things, have an irritable mood and even have suicidal thoughts.
On the physical side, you may have changes in appetite/weight, constipation, lack of energy, a lower sex drive and/or disturbed sleep and if you are a woman - your menstrual cycle may change.
HSE also lists some social symptoms, which include: not doing well at work, having difficulties in your home and family life, avoidance of social interactions and neglecting hobbies and interests.
In the shortest, depression = withdrawal from life, a negative emotional and physical state that makes you unwilling to take action, grow and fulfil your dreams.
What Are the Causes of Depression?
There are many causes of depression. Some are commonly known but I will add more, holistic ones.
1. Lack of Acceptance and Understanding of Your Life
Depression usually starts when you are hurt, frustrated, or disappointed by an event in your life. It is commonly known as trauma (e.g. breakup, losing your family member)or a kind of burden, like a long-term illness or disability (being in a wheelchair). More about illness is below in this article. Depression can also start because of some material loss like bankruptcy.
However, it is up to your reaction if a given event ends up with depression and it usually results from the act of the presence/ lack of acceptance of this event. You can either rebel and with the Universe saying 'Why had it happened to me?" or say 'Ok, it's another test in my life. What positive outcome will result from it?''
It all starts with not accepting the event, the situation you’ve been in, and the lack of acceptance of the person you know who is hurting you. - Aron
2. Lack of Forgiveness and Living in the Past
Apart from the lack of acceptance, lack of forgiveness is another issue of depression. So, let's say you become abused by your parents, siblings, boss or partner and cannot let go; this triggers negative emotions.
Sometimes you might have difficulty forgiving yourself or loving yourself. Again, it starts from a lack of acceptance and understanding that you also dislike your body and life in general. For example, you may complain 'Why have I got a life like that? Why don't I have the body/work/ health of...(someone else)?'
3. Untidy and Cluttered Environment
This may be both the cause and effect of depression. You become frustrated and disheartened because of the difficulty to find things or just looking at the dirty and untidy place. Sometimes helplessness and lack of self-confidence are also present here.
On the other hand, because of depression, an untidy and dirty place becomes a downhill spiral of your everyday life because the more sad/disappointed/angry you are, the less you want to clean your space and that, in turn, deepens your depression. Read more about clutter.
4. Addictions
Again, this is both cause and effect of depression. Why? Because alcohol, smoking, drug taking and binge eating give you only short-term pleasure but later your mood plummets, and you are sad, irritated, poisoned and overweight. And it causes further depression.
NHS confirmed this, saying that cannabis can help you relax, but there's evidence that it can also bring on depression, particularly in teenagers. Also, "drowning your sorrows" with a drink is also not recommended. Alcohol affects the chemistry of the brain, which increases the risk of depression.
When life is getting them down, some people try to cope by drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs. This can result in a spiral of depression. - NHS
Further reading about addictions and binge eating:
5. Energetic Hook-Ups and Mind Control
It also can be both cause and effect of depression. Why? Because energetic hooks come closer and attack you during generating low vibrations (more about it later), e.g., being angry, or frustrated. It also attracts negative beings, including demons which start sending you voices deepening depression.
This is important because negative entities want only negative energy - either created in this life or also after your death (suicide). These beings will also arrange circumstances in your life which will deepen your depression. For example, you meet nasty people, are more abused than at the beginning, are robbed of your money or abandoned, or ostracized.
Further reading about negative entities:
6. Family History
Ancestral karma may also trigger depression. If someone in your family had depression in the past, such as a parent or sister or brother, it's more likely that you will also develop this condition. It may not happen but you are at risk.
7. Some Kinds of Illness
Again, it can be both cause and effect of depression. You may have a higher risk of depression if you have a longstanding or life-threatening illness, such as coronary heart disease or cancer. Also epilepsy, SM or paralysis may induce depression. Further, NHS states that severe head injury can trigger mood swings and emotional problems.
Moreover, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) resulting from problems with the immune system, can also lead to depression. In rarer cases, even a minor head injury can damage the pituitary gland, producing thyroid-stimulating hormones. - NHS
Injuries to the nervous and endocrine systems cause a number of symptoms, such as extreme tiredness and a lack of interest in sex (loss of libido), which can in turn lead to depression.
On the other hand, when you have depression and drink, overeat, or stop doing exercises, the risk of diabetes, coronary disease or thyroid gland function also increases, deepening your depression.
9. Low Vibrations
Even if you lose someone or something, it is your mindset and the language you use every day that leads to depression in the long run. You activate the Universal Laws, mostly about reaping what you saw and attracting the things you focus on constantly.
Then you start acting according to your depressive thoughts and neglect tidying your house, personal hygiene, and social interactions, to mention a few examples only.
Dr Hawkins in his levels of consciousness clearly denotes that apathy, anger, shame, grief, and guilt are typical during depression.
Further reading about raising vibrations
10. Lack of Self-Confidence
You may become depressed if some of your efforts fail because of low self-confidence. For example, you may resign from an opportunity of pursuing some of your goals, e.g asking for a promotion at work. Then anger, disappointment and frustration kick on. Later, apathy, guilt and sometimes shame follow.
Self-confidence is also important in relationships. When you are fearful, assertiveness becomes a problem and, in turn, you blame yourself for the failure of stopping some abusive treatment.
11. Lack of Self-Care
This can be both cause and effect of depression. Addictions, eating junk food and lack of exercise lead to depression which, in turn, causes the further need for stimulants, food and staying in bed, without doing anything.
Lack of self-care also manifests in poor personal hygiene and negative self-talk, resulting from negative thinking.
12. Negative People Around
People suffering from depression usually surround themself with the same kind of people - complaining about their life but rather looking for approval of their passive attitude to life than help to take action.
Also, by negative thoughts and self-talk, you actually attract abusers and those who will give out the things they have done for you (i.e., their help). Stings, insults and violence lead to further depression.
13. Karma of Orphancy and Loneliness
I have written about ancestral karma above. However, it also happens that you have the karma of orphancy and/or loneliness. As there are no other people who would stimulate you to take action, it is easy to stay in bed all day because no one will tell you to get up.
Being alone causes your self-talk and thinking to become more negative because again - no one will react to your attitude. It is also easier to commit suicide then. And the feeling of loneliness caused by things such as becoming cut off from your family and friends can increase your risk of depression
How Does Depression Manifest?
Depression goes through many stages: from lower mood, complaining about your life, anger because others do not understand you to the extreme reluctance of taking any action, e.g. constant lying in bed.
Some define depression as mild, moderate or severe, depending on how well you cope with everyday life. Mild depression means mood swings and complaining but you are still doing fine, in the case of moderate depression, you need some counselling while severe depression needs taking medication and environmental help from the mental health community.
Depression and Bereavement
Some doctors assume that depression undergoes the same stages as a grievance. They distinguish five stages of depression following the same five-stage sequence as Kübler-Ross’ stages of grief:
Denial - No illness is comfortable. You do not want to admit that mood swings, social withdrawal or binge eating are your problems. People may force you to take medication or a mental health community may become interested in your case.
Anger - Once you stop denying your depression, anger kicks on and you ask 'Why did it happen to me?' But you realise that it is a must to deal with the condition. However, the fear of the stigma of "mental illness" leads to sadness and further depression.
Bargaining - During this stage, you may try to negotiate, pray, or engage in activities that you hope will keep your symptoms at bay.
Depression - Once you realise that it is futile to bargain the condition away, you may sink into a deep depression. This stage can involve feelings of helplessness and extreme sadness. You may withdraw from others, feel empty or numb, stay in bed all the time, or fail to take care of yourself or others who rely on them. They may also have suicidal thoughts or attempts.
Acceptance - Finally, you accept your condition. At this stage, you will finally seek treatment, or you will start to adhere to that treatment, including seeing a therapist, taking prescribed medications and asking a person working with energy for help.
How Can You Combat Depression?
You probably know some of these methods in the case of suffering from depression. I will quickly list them but I have to point out that they will not solve the problem totally. To do so, check to Awaken Happy Life next week for a new article.
I will refer to the NHS here, which lists the ways of treating depression according to the severity of this condition.
Mild Depression
Wait and see - your GP diagnoses you with mild depression, they may suggest waiting a short time to see if it gets better by itself. You go to the doctor again after, let's say after 2 weeks.
Exercise - you may be referred to an exercise class.
Self-help - you are asked to join self-help groups, talk to friends and relatives, and/or study self-help books, e.g., about CBT.
Mild to Moderate Depression
In the case when your mild depression is not improving, or a moderate depression, you may need the following forms of treatment:
Counselling
Psychotherapy, especially the cognitive behavioural one.
Some doctors also introduce medication
Moderate to Severe Depression
In the case of moderate to severe depression, the following treatments may be recommended.
Antidepressants, treat the symptoms of depression. However, they have many side effects, also inducing further conditions like diabetes. The doctor has to weigh the possible pros and cons of the treatment.
Combination therapy - a GP may recommend that you take a course of antidepressants plus talking therapy, particularly if your depression is quite severe.
Mental health teams - if you have severe depression, you may be referred to a mental health team made up of psychologists, psychiatrists, specialist nurses and occupational therapists. They often provide intensive specialist talking treatments as well as prescribed medicine. Nurses can also visit you at home, checking how you spend your day.
In a Nutshell
Depression is a serious problem today, not only from the medical point of view. There are physical, emotional, mental and spiritual causes of depression, including mind control and energetic hooks, family history (ancestral karma), an illness or negative thoughts.
There are various methods of treating depression. Their choice depends on the severity of the condition. Depression can have five stages, similar to those during bereavement.
Good luck with your recovery from depression. With lots of love and light,
Vicky
About
Vicky is an experienced holistic writer and coach that inspires, motivates, and encourages everyone to become the best version of themselves - physically, mentally, and spiritually.
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