Manifestations Of Depression You Might Not Know About

Depression is a globally experienced mental health condition which many live with, without knowing they have it. You might be coping with depression without knowing you’ve been living with depression if you’re acting out in some of these ways.

INSTANT GRATIFICATION

Living with depression can feel inescapable. The present moment is so overwhelming with feelings of sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, melancholy, and more, that someone living with depression just wants to feel better now. This is why depression is so commonly co-occurring with drug and alcohol addiction. Though many drugs are depressants, which could make depression symptoms feel worse, the euphoria that drugs and alcohol temporarily provide is enough inspiration to continue finding that relief, until an addiction forms. People living with depression are misconceived as couch potatoes or unable to get out of bed. While this is a very common experience of depression, it is not the only experience of depression. Very active, impulsive, reckless behavior which desperately seeks instant gratification is also common in depression. Doing things to feel better, or to at least feel differently, will be given priority over any consideration of the long-run.

ANGER PROBLEMS

Anger might seem too intense of an emotion to fit into the typical characterization of depression. Depression can be something to be angry out. Emotions run high in depression. When someone does not have the tools or techniques for coping with high levels of depression, they can feel burdened by their intense emotions, and act out intensely. Anger is a manifestation of misplaced sadness and fear. Living with depression means living with a heavy amount of sadness and it can also feel scary. Not having control over your emotions can get a bit maddening.

OVERWORKING

Depression is well known for creating low energy and a lack of motivation. Lethargy, boredom, and feeling unable or uninterested in being productive is common in depression. Another way people cope with their depression is by doing the opposite. Staying busy, keeping a full schedule, and overworking are similar activities to using drugs and alcohol to cope- they offer an escape from emotion by providing a way to focus on experiencing other feelings.

STRANGE EMOTIONS

“Affect” refers to “emotion or desire, especially as influencing behavior or action”. Depression can cause strange emotions or affect, meaning an inappropriate display of emotion. Most common is feeling or expressing the “wrong” emotion at the “wrong” time. Instead of displaying sadness, there might be laughter. Instead of displaying offense there might be agreeing.

If you are turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with your depression, there are other ways to heal. We know how it feels to feel completely out of control. Your recovery starts with you. Start your recovery with Enlightened Solutions in Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Our beautiful and serene campus offers integrative programs individually designed to meet the needs of mind, body, and spirit. For information, call us today: 833-801-5483