10 Things Only Depressed People Will Understand

With the recent movement on mental health awareness

over the past few years, people are gradually coming

to understand more about matters of depression, anxiety, trauma,

and other mental disorders.

There’s also less stigma surrounding the need for therapy

and mental health care nowadays,

thanks to the countless public figures who have bravely spoken

up about their own struggles with mental illness.

Still, there remains a lot unknown about the true nature of depression,

the world’s most common mental illness.

Even more, it’s only those struggling with it that can truly understand.

Here are 10 things only depressed people will understand:

1. Difficulty With Communicating Your Emotions

Within the depths of depression, there may reside complex emotions

such as sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, anger, fear, shame, and guilt.

For others still, depression might manifest

as an unending sense of emotional numbness and desolation.

Either way, putting your feelings into words

and communicating them with others is a constant struggle

when you’re depressed—especially when loved ones

are asking you how you feel or how you’re doing

because they suspect something is wrong.

You don’t want them to worry,

but when you’re in the clutches of depression,

you just don’t know what or even how to tell them.

2. The Guilt of Not Having a “Good Reason” for Being Depressed

Perhaps one of the most difficult things about having depression

is the pain of being misunderstood or judged.

You might understand that depression is something

that affects people of all ages, genders, races, classes,

and social backgrounds,

but you still can’t help but feel guilty when others judge you for

not having a tangible “good reason” for being depressed.

3. The Anger Over Constantly Being Told “I Understand”

Another thing not talked about enough

when it comes to depression is how frustrating it can feel

to constantly be told by others that they understand.

Really, all you want to do is tell them that unless

they’ve been diagnosed with depression themselves

and been inside your mind, they really don’t.

Just because they felt really sad sometimes

or a terrible thing happened to them once upon a time does not mean

that they know how it feels to have clinical depression.

4. The Pain of Losing Your Love and Passion for Life

The American Psychological Association states that the defining

feature of clinical depression is markedly diminished interest

or pleasure in all or almost all activities.

Simply put, this means that when you’re suffering from depression,

it’s a struggle for you to find joy or enjoyment

even in the hobbies and activities that you once loved so much.

Depression makes you unable to feel motivated

to do anything anymore, robbing you of even the simplest

of life’s pleasures and making you lose your passion for life.

5. The Frustration of Not Being Able to Just “Snap Out of It”

One of the many reasons why depression is such a devastating

mental illness is that

a lot of people don’t really understand its true nature.

They think that people who are depressed can just snap out of it,

or just need to think more positively,

or that a few days of rest and relaxation can cure it.

There is no built-in switch for this.

Your feelings are every bit as real as they feel,

and you’re not obligated to feel any other way just

because others don’t feel the same.

6. The Compulsive Desire to Self-Isolate

Even though you understand the need to be surrounded

by supportive loved ones, the truth is that when you’re depressed,

you’ll most likely feel a compulsive desire to isolate yourself from others.

With no energy or motivation to engage in social interactions,

you tend to prefer isolation.

Constant difficulty with communicating and finding enjoyment

in things leads to struggling with feelings of low self-esteem

and self-worth.

Talking to people and staying in touch can often feel too overwhelming,

triggering a need to withdraw from society in general.

7. People Think Depression is the Same as Sadness

Sadness is a part of a healthy spectrum of human emotions

and is actually quite normal to feel from time to time.

Depression, on the other hand,

is a serious and debilitating mental illness that needs

to be treated with professional help and therapy.

These things are not the same, and yet some people just can’t seem

to grasp the difference.

This can often feel very frustrating,

especially when others disregard what you’re feeling as mere sadness

and tell you “not to think about it.”

8. People Not Understanding That Mental Illness is Real

Many people still seem to think that depression is a choice

and mental illness isn’t real.

But just because there are no physical manifestations

to see doesn’t mean that the suffering you feel is not real.

It’s not just in your head; if you’re able to feel it,

then it is very much real.

When others downplay its potency,

it often leaves you feeling as if you’re doing something wrong.

As a result, you may even choose to remain silent about it instead.

9. People Thinking Depression is the Same For Everybody

Every individual’s experience of a mental disorder is different.

Depression doesn’t look the same for everybody.

Some people might stop eating and struggle with insomnia,

while others might overeat and oversleep.

Some people have high-functioning depression

and may not even seem like they’re struggling at all, and for others,

their depression might force them to lie in bed all day

and do nothing.

Nevertheless, all experiences of depression are valid.

10. Learning to Celebrate the Little Things

Finally, but perhaps most importantly,

when you struggle with depression,

even the littlest of victories deserve to be celebrated.

Got out of bed today? Smiled?

Managed a short conversation with someone?

Took the time to brush your hair or take a bath?

Give yourself a mental pat on the back.

Those are all very, very important achievements to someone

with depression.

They might not mean much to other people,

but for someone struggling with mental illness on an everyday basis,

they make up the good days that remind you why you need

to keep fighting and why it’s so important to keep holding on.