Polegnyn Nemeara
Aes Sedai
TarValon.Net talks...
Depression Awareness
Depression Awareness
This month, the Servant of All Team will be talking about Depression: what it is, how it physically affects the body, how it's portrayed in popular culture, and most importantly, resources one can use to support someone they may know who struggles with Depression. We understand this is a sensitive topic for many. Regardless, we encourage anyone to share their experience as much as one feels comfortable in doing so. We are here for you, too.
What is depression?
Depression. We’ve all heard about it. But what is it really?According to National Library of Medicine, Depression has been documented as early as 460 BC. Known then as Melancholia, it was a very broad generalization of several conditions. Melancholia eventually became associated with a more modern description for “despair”. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century did a division of “Melancholy” into more descriptive diagnosese of “bipolar” or “manic depressive” emerge.
This is important because it shows Depression has affected humanity for centuries. It is not a modern day occurrence and people experiencing it are not alone or looking for excuses to be lazy. It is a legitimate and incredibly serious issue.
How does it differ from mood swings?
(Thank you, Nebka!)- Depression causes functional interference in daily life. Functional interference means normal tasks become impossible. Mood swings may make life difficult, but the person will still have an interest in keeping up with work or spending time with friends.
- Depression shifts priorities. A person who struggles with depression will appear to have a general sense of apathy towards the world and rarely get excited. Someone who is only facing mood swings will still react with joy if you buy them concert tickets or take them to see a movie, for example.
- Depression is persistent. A person with depression will feel that the sadness is uncontrollable. While people can easily feel overwhelmed by emotions, a person who struggles to regulate emotions will still have periods of reprieve and happiness.
- Depression doesn’t always have a clear trigger. Depression may not present with a clear reason or source for the extreme sadness. Because depression is a result of an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, clinical depression often appears to have no source. Mood swings, however, can typically be traced back to a trigger (whether it’s a thought, a bully, a disagreement, etc). A person may not confide in anyone what the origin of a mood swing is, making it harder to determine.