Every person on earth has to walk through a phase of darkness at times. No matter what the reasons may be, there are ways to deal with this new age culprit. Depression can hit you at any age, anywhere, and at any time.
However, did you know how a simple chit chat could help you beat depression?
Think about it. What are the first measures that a therapist takes to cure you out of this state of shambles? They usually start by saying, “Let’s talk about it”.
What leads you to a state of depression?
From breakups to low input at the workplace, there are countless reasons to make you feel depressed. Fearing about your future as a student or worrying about your grades are also the simplest of causes to lead you to a dismal state. As humans tend to feel anything and everything. Avoiding sadness is nearly impossible in our lives.
Loss of loved ones, loss of a job, loss of health, or PTSD are the worst cases to put you in a box. And escaping sometimes is often beyond your ability. There is no form, shape, or scale to measure what level of depression you are in.
However, there are pieces of evidence to help you figure out that you are on the verge of being attacked by this disorder (1).
Symptoms of Depression You May Experience
- Feeling Sad
- Losing interest in the activities that were once pleasurable.
- Difficulty explaining your personal or professional matters.
- Difficulty focusing on or reaching decisions.
- A noticeable change in appetite.
- Insomnia or Oversleeping
- Constant fatigue at work or in class.
- Slowness or slurs in your speech
- Feelings of worthlessness and guilt.
- Thoughts of self-harm and substance abuse (which are aggravated over time).
How Depression Affects you Socially and Psychologically
Believe it or not, this one state is enough to turn your life upside down, if not handled timely.
According to a renowned San Diego psychiatrist, seclusion is the most common trait of a person undergoing a depressive state. You even cut out people whose opinion matters to you from your life.
Negativity acts more like a parasite during this phase that turns you into a ticking time-bomb. As a result, your behavior becomes rasher, abusive, and more argumentative where you withdraw yourself from social connections entirely.
Professional Guidance Can Cost You More
When things get out of control, you predictably find a professional to help you cope. This move is something most people would make eventually, and why not? It is a matter of your wellness, after all.
But unarguably, the cost of appointments and treatment is something you can’t overlook every time. That said, the solution is in your hands. In fact, only you know how to beat depression.
Sounds whimsical, but you can help make things better. How so, you ask? By sharing your thoughts with the right, like-minded people. This idea seems more comfortable as compared to a professional since they might not be able to heed your concern emotionally or morally.
How You Can Treat Depression by Communicating
1: Say it to Your Friends and Family
You are so consumed with your state of being that you overlook the closest help you always have. Families are the ones who stay with you, no matter how far you go. And they are still the most trusted people who can vouch for you, even in the worst-case scenarios.
It is safe to share your experiences of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders with your family. Because they know you as you are and can support you in every possible way they can.
There are moments you need to spend with your close ones, sit together for a cup of coffee, and even for a quiet breathing exercise (Pranayama). This will help calm you down. Slowly, start by opening up and discussing the gravity of your situation. Expect them to listen, and you also need to welcome their opinions.
2: Be Present While Talking and Listening
As the saying goes; we listen 10%, misunderstand 50%, but react to it 100%. The reason is due to a lack of perceiving, conceiving, and attention.
Friends and family in this situation are the ones who will make time to help you out. Let them listen to you first, and let yourself do the same to continue. Be present at the moment whilst you get into the heart of the matter and point out every single detail of the causes, and the troubles you have been having lately.
3: Learn to Differentiate before Communicating
Once you find a shore for yourself, it would be easier to think and judge things better. More comfortable would be to let things off your chest.
While speaking, be sure about what you are talking about, why you are sharing it, the causes and effects you fear. Most importantly, you need to be clear in explaining your concerns.
Let’s not mistake depression for anxiety. Depression is something most commonly associated with your experiences whereas anxiety is associated with something you are to deal with in the future.
In the same way, loneliness and solitude hold different meanings. Loneliness is the outcome, and solitude is what you seek to balance yourself with in order to find inner peace and calmness.
It is rather a significant move to connect with yourself to express to others what you feel.
4: Support Groups to Communicate
The modern age brings out the worst, and it also brings out the solution to treat the worst. Support groups are an effective way to share and listen to others’ experiences apart from our own.
There are millions of people suffering from what you are dealing with right now. Therefore, you need to motivate yourself by learning about their different experiences. You might even find that you have a solution to bring to the table. After all, that’s what you are here for. Go for it.
Sharing is caring, so treat yourself and others with respect first, and offer voluntary support whenever necessary.
You don’t know what the other person is going through, but you can be kind to them. Encourage them to speak and get encouraged by them to talk. This is another way to reinstate your lost confidence level.
5: Keep the Communication Gap Bridged
It is hard to accept, but most of the time, the communication gap is what lengthens the course of depression. And once you are able to bridge this gap, try to cross to the other side to express how you feel and what you feel.
The modern world is becoming quite complicated due to the advancement of electronics. The technology-ridden age is now more dependent on social media than let’s-sit-and-share kind of moment.
There are many problems you have overcome, many you still struggle with, every day. Ultimately, you have to stay reliant on a personal level of communication instead of virtual connections.
It’s time to come face the truth as hiding it won’t make it disappear. In the end, you are the only one who can help bring this change in and around you. Only you know where your shoe pinches and how to take care of it.
