I’m depressed. What does this mean and what can I do about it?
Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. When I notice that I am feeling this way I do a check in with myself. Are you depressed? These three questions can help.
- What’s going on with my body?
- Am I getting enough rest?
- What have I been eating or drinking? Not drinking enough water can cause dehydration and symptoms of depression. Alcohol is a depressant and can increase feelings of sadness.
- Am I getting enough exercise? Sometimes getting outside and simple taking a walk can shift a depressed mood.
- When was my last physical check up? Having hormone levels checked can be a great idea.
- What are the conversations I’m having?
- What are my private thoughts? I pay attention to what I’m thinking. I might write in a journal or talk to a friend.
- If I discover something is missing. I may need to grieve a loss or ask for something.
- Awareness of the conversations I’m having can help me discover what action I need to take.
- What’s my mood?
- This may seem obvious. My mood is sad or depressed but I challenge myself to dig a little deeper.
- Am I resisting something? Maybe I’m angry or resentful. Who or what do I need to accept? Maybe I need to make a request of someone. Maybe I’m resisting forgiving someone? It could be I need to forgive or accept myself.
- Am I resigned? What action can I take? Even a small step can help. Who can support me in taking some action?
We use the word depressed to describe feeling unpleasant or sad but major clinical depression goes way beyond feeling down for a short period of time. There have been times in my life when I couldn’t shake the sadness and feelings of hopelessness. This is the time to seek help from others. Get professional help. There are many ways to approach and treat depression.
