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The Complexity of Depression

It's not just being sad

By Caroline BlockPublished 2 years ago 3 min read
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The Complexity of Depression
Photo by Eric Ward on Unsplash

Depression is. . .complicated, to put it simply. Those who don't have it generally see it as something that causes one to be sad and/or have a sad demeanor (an Eeyore, if you will). However, it is much more complex of an illness than many realize. From the range of symptoms to what even causes it in the first place, I will be explaining it from the perspective of someone who lives with it on a daily basis.

Depression can have many different causes. The difficulty of it is that there's no one clear way that someone gets it, rather there are various factors that contribute to a person being more susceptible to have it. One of these is experiencing traumatic events and big changes in one's life. Another sees the normal process of grieving turn into depression. A person's DNA also plays a part; depression can run in families. Certain medications can cause an increased risk of depression. It's also found to be more common in women and elders. Because of so many possible causes, it can be difficult to pin down one reason that a person has it.

For me personally, I think my depression was caused by mainly two things. Firstly, genetics are likely at play because others in my family have had depression. Secondly, there have been, frankly, big changes and traumatic moments in my life. My parents got divorced when I was ten which caused my father's temper to spiral into oblivion. He would frequently become drunk and yell at me until I was crying whenever I was required to spend time with him. There were other, worse incidents of course, but that's the gist of it.

There are many symptoms of depression other than being sad, and include but are not limited to: mood swings, apathy, lack of concentration, suicidal thoughts, loss of pleasure in activities, insomnia or excessive tiredness, and change in appetite. Keep in mind that these symptoms do not come in a one-size-fits-all package. It will show up differently person to person. For example, I dealt with suicidal thoughts and lack of concentration, but my appetite was never affected.

I'm grateful that I got the support I needed before I was formally diagnosed. For the record, I'm doing better now compared to how I was before I got diagnosed and started medication, though I still have my bad days. Sometimes I'll get really busy with school and forget to take my medication for days on end, which culminates in depressive episodes before I get back on schedule again. During my depressive episodes, I get really sad because I realize that I'm not actually the person I am when I'm on the medication. In actuality I'm a sad slump and a mess of a human being. My depressed self views my medicated self as an imposter of who I truly am and would be if modern medicine didn't exist. However, I think I'm coming to accept myself and the things I can't change. As long as I always stay on medication, I won't be consistently sad and can for the most part live life the way most do.

It's imperative that as a society we become more educated on issues surrounding mental health so we can recognize when others aren't doing well. Thankfully, it seems that society is overall becoming more equipped to deal with mental health issues, including research, therapy, and special help in school for those that need it. There will even be a new nationwide 988 mental health hotline, assuming that each state will be prepared for its launch and initial flood of calls. It's clear that the world is beginning to see the importance of mental health, and for that I feel optimistic.

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About the Creator

Caroline Block

I'm a high school student who has been writing since middle school. It's what I consider it to be one of my escapes when I feel lost in the world. I enjoy creative writing as well as insightful essays. I hope you enjoy my work!

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