Depression
Let's talk about depression and the difference between normal and clinical depression.
Not a fun topic but, most of us experience it at one point or another in our life.
Depression by definition is feelings of severe despondency and dejection.
We all have felt emotions that feel severe! Depression, like any other emotion, is a normal human experience.
What?!? Normal?
Yes, it is normal! How do I know this?
The percentage of people taking antidepressants has risen 65% over the last 15 years. According to NBC news 1 in 6 people take an anti-depressant. When you look at this statistic, and of course it can be argued, but for my blog post's purpose, I’d say it is normal to feel depressed at some point in your life.
What I think is so powerful, is that when you change the way you think about depression, it drastically raises or lowers it.
Let's go into a pretend world where everyone thinks depression is normal. I like to compare depression to pregnancy or PMS. Pregnant or PMSing women feel all the symptoms of the world and know that this is normal and it will pass.
It doesn't feel amazing, (I know this is an understatement) but you aren't hiding, feeling broken or shame. You accept you are a woman and despise the situation not yourself.
Thinking the thought that you shouldn't feel depressed is what makes the depression worse.
Instead, what if you just thought, this is the part of my life where I feel depressed? I am normal and nothing has gone terribly wrong.
This is the time of year I go inward, have lower energy, and take lots of naps.
What an entirely different experience you would have instead!
Yes, the depression is still there, but when you permit it to be there and take away the shame, it is a little more tolerable.
Having compassion doesn't stop you from seeking relief or medical care!
Having compassion for yourself will fuel you to seek the care you desperately need!
I’m not talking about antidepressants, I’m talking about finding out what is going on physically, mentally, and/or emotionally that is causing or contributing to your depression.
The more you push against the depression, the worse it feels. When you permit yourself to be depressed, you start to gain authority over it.
Instead of behaving destructively, you take care of yourself.
When humans feel bad and don't have a way to soothe themselves they turn to soothing activities.
And... rightfully so!
Most of us sooth with food or distract with negative behavior to avoid depression.
What we don't do is move into the depression with curiosity.
What it is trying to tell you? This may seem counterintuitive, especially if it is the clinical kind of depression.
What needs healed?
What needs released?
What do you need to feel and process?
Remember emotions are like waves. They come and go and never stay forever.
How much worse does depression feel when you think it shouldn't be there?
How much worse is it when you are desperately trying to get away from the emotion?
If you thought that depression was normal and part of life would you feel so bad about being depressed?
You don't feel bad that you have grief when your mother passes away.
You feel grief!
You and everyone else agrees this is a normal process.
I want you to consider thinking that depression or any less than desirable emotion, is normal and part of life.
When you hold the space that you are normal and stop feeling shame, you put down the entire cake.
You hold compassion for yourself that you are 100% normal and that nothing is wrong with you.
Many people question is if even possible to lose weight and eat supportive foods while depressed?
I know it can be challenging to do, especially if you are taking an antidepressant.
I want you to consider thinking about depression and increased appetite in the same way.
It is normal and ok to experience hunger emotions and hunger sensations.
You are not going to wish it were any different.
Now that you have deemed it ok and nothing has gone wrong, what will you do to support yourself?
Plan for the hunger?
Plan for the days when you don't want to get out of bed?
Accept that hunger is just a sensation and that it doesn't mean anything. It can be there.
It isn’t an emergency and you don’t need to answer the hunger with food.
Consider the analogy of having to pee. How many of you will hold it to the bitter end because you are so engrossed in what you are doing? I'm sure it isn't healthy for your bladder!
But, do you freak out and start running around? I have to pee! I'm going to die!
No, you wiggle and ignore it.
Then when your body tells you again, you do the same thing. Wiggle and ignore it!
Then after a few hours, you race at top speed to the toilet!
Hunger is a different bodily sensation, but it is the same in that it can be ignored.
It is not an emergency!
When you think of hunger in the same way as having the sensation to pee, it isn't that big of a deal!
Who cares!
Be hungry and solve for what is going on inside!
As we move into the fall and winter, our circadian rhythms and seasons shift.
Our energy slows, and many want to sleep more.
There are also so many people that have seasonal depression!
If you are experiencing this, go with the flow of your natural energetic state.
Plan for the shift in energy.
Utilize the changes to your highest potential!
If you know that you typically will have less energy, how can you plan your life, tasks, work, and other duties so that you are supportive to yourself?
It can be so tempting to start eating more food in hopes to boost energy.
Or, drop into self-loathing because you don't have the energy you usually do.
When you start to have compassion depression, increased hunger or just less energy, you stop the part of being mad and frustrated for being depressed or tired.
Be depressed.
You will be amazed that when you accept depression, you can still do laundry, and go to work.
When you are in the place of compassion, you are 100% more likely to make a supportive plan for yourself and seek medical help if you need it.