Even if you consider yourself a generally happy or content person, sadness is something you’ve probably experienced. It’s a normal reaction to any number of situations that might include grief, disappointment, or regret.
Understanding the difference between a harmless mood fluctuation and a more serious depression can be important. Whether you’re exploring recent symptoms, managing a known diagnosis, or trying to handle your depression without support, learning more about depression and how to cope can help you navigate a challenging condition.
Do You Have Depression?
One of the most common mental illnesses, depression affects more than 22 percent of American adults (58.7 million people in 2023). But what exactly is depression, and what are its causes?
Depression is not just feeling sad or down in the dumps. Those feelings typically fade after a while. Depression is characterized by prolonged and persistent low moods that are not linked to any specific cause. It can last for weeks, months, and even years. You may experience emotional and physical symptoms. Eventually it can impact your everyday life, including relationships, work, or school.
Depression is a complex condition and can be affected by multiple factors, including:
- Biological factors like brain chemistry. Disruptions in the neurotransmitters that regulate mood, sleep, and appetite may play a role.
- Challenging life events, like the death of a loved one or some other devastating situation can trigger depression.
- Co-occurrence with illnesses, like cancer or chronic pain conditions may trigger depression.
- Gender may be a factor, as more women than men experience it.
- Genetic factors may be part of it, as depression can run in families.
- Medication side effects may include psychological reactions.
- Misusing substances can impact brain chemistry or cause long-term effects.
Types of Depression
While major depressive disorder is the most common depression diagnosis, there are other types.
- Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is a chronic, low-level depression that lasts for at least two years, with symptoms present most days.
- Post-partum depression starts after childbirth and lasts anywhere from two weeks to one year.
- Pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a form of pre-menstrual syndrome where symptoms of depression profoundly affect a woman’s life during her monthly cycle.
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder with depression symptoms occurring during seasonal periods with lower sunlight levels.
Symptoms of Depression
Everyone is different and you may experience various symptoms when dealing with depression. If you’ve had any of the following symptoms for two weeks or more, you may benefit from consulting with a mental health provider for an official diagnosis and help.
Common symptoms of depression include:
- Feeling empty, hopeless, afraid, or sad.
- Agitation, anxiety, and restlessness.
- Anger, frustration, and irritability, including outbursts over trivial matters.
- Guilt, worthlessness, self-blame, and failure thoughts.
- Having no interest or pleasure in everyday activities.
- Sleep problems, such as inability to stay asleep or sleeping too much.
- Unexplained physical issues, such as headaches, body, muscle, or pain.
- Problems with concentration, decision-making, memory, and thinking.
- Slower body movements, speech, and thinking than normal.
- Having suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or frequent thoughts about being better off dead.
- Feeling tired and lacking energy most or all the time.
- No appetite, weight loss, or intensified food cravings and subsequent weight gain.
In older adults, some of the symptoms of depression may be slightly different or less obvious than the common ones.
- Older adults may show personality changes and memory problems when depressed.
- They may isolate, avoid social activities, and stop doing activities they once enjoyed.
How to Cope with Depression
Depression is very treatable and taking the right steps can lead to recovery. An important part of the process may be helped by proven techniques to help you cope with the symptoms of depression. Professional online therapy can help you identify workable ways that you can begin implementing to manage your symptoms and feel better. Therapy can also help with goals such as:
- Learning to identify and manage depression triggers or unhelpful thinking.
- Spend time with supportive friends and family.
- Create meaningful goals and a plan to achieve them.
- Find healthy behaviors and activities you like to help you alleviate depression symptoms.
Coping Mechanisms for Depression
When you’re depressed, it can seem that nothing seems right. You feel off and out of sorts, and it can be challenging to do regular activities. Learning to manage these symptoms and work toward getting your life back in order is easier when you make use of depression coping skills.
Whether your depression is temporary or lasts longer, you can proactively manage your symptoms and improve your life with these techniques:
- Avoiding drugs and alcohol. Although they may make you feel better in the moment, long-term, they are detrimental to your mental health and recovery.
- Deep breathing can help reduce psychological stress and help you relax.
- Exercise can help lift your mood and help you feel energized.
- Working on getting adequate sleep may be difficult when dealing with depression but should be a focus to help think clearly and manage emotions.
- Learning mindfulness, which is being present with your feelings and learning acceptance, can be a helpful coping option.
- Acupuncture has been shown to promote relaxation and calmness.
- Healthy eating habits will improve your physical stamina and energy levels.
- Socializing can be difficult when dealing with depression but reaching out to other people, maintaining support, and interacting with loved ones can help your mood.
When to Seek Help
If you feel that your depression symptoms are worsening and interfering with your everyday life, it may be time to seek out the advice and support of a mental health provider. A therapist can work with you to create a treatment plan to better understand sources of depression and manage symptoms. There are also medications that may help with your depression recovery – your provider can explain what those are and whether they might be right for you.
MindGlow Health offers talk therapy and psychiatric care through online appointments with licensed providers who are experienced and passionate about what they do. The company was built on the foundation of a well-established behavioral health organization, where thousands of people nationwide have sought care for their mental health concerns, like depression.
Learn more about the services we provide or get started today with one of our providers to take the first step towards a healthier and happier you.
