Most depressed people go through several stages of depression when they feel hopeless or down. Depression can mean these stages don’t just come and go but rather stay for weeks and months.
Although most people accept depression as a clinical condition there are cases in which people don`t recognize it for what it is.
Depression is not a sign of weakness and it can`t be undone quickly. It requires complex treatment and most people can recover from it.
Depression can cover a wide spectrum of feelings or lack of feelings. Depressed people can feel unhappy for long periods of time.
Depressed people can also lose interest in things which used to make them interested.
Depression is not to be confused with anxiety. In certain cases though, depression can be a symptom of anxiety issues.
From the mental perspective, the prevalent issues can be harder to observe. But depression comes with physical symptoms also. Some of these include the constant feeling of tiredness, constant pains, lack of appetite or lack of sex drive.
These symptoms can range from mild to acute. Mild symptoms can include feeling constantly low while severe symptoms can go as far as suicidal thoughts.
Depression can have some distinguishable causes in some cases. The loss of a close person, childbirth or losing a job can be triggers for depression.
In other cases, depression risks can be associated with a history of the condition in the family.
There are cases in which depression has no distinguishable reason. These causes are not that rare to find, as 1 in 10 adults is suffering from depression.
Treating depression can be approached with various methods. They could include lifestyle changes, therapy or even medication.
Many people living with depression can experience positive changes by doing more exercise, cutting vices or eating healthy foods.
There are no distinguishable stages of depression, although there might be various periods that depressed people have in common.
Distinguishable Stages of Depression
Denial
This stage is where many people find themselves when they can’t recognize or are not even aware of depression. For some people, it might be difficult to even recognize the signs of depression.
Usually, it can take a certain lifestyle which can then lead to the thought that depression might be actually present.
Some people isolate themselves from the rest of the world after a traumatic event or even without any reason at all.
It is hard to explain to such a person that they might be suffering from depression.
The sufferer is not even aware in most cases in this stage of denial.
Discussion
At this stage, someone close to the depressed person might realize the constant down feeling is not over and that there might be the need to help.
This stage can raise many rhetorical questions and the person in cause may start to analyze the various issue which comes with depression.
One of the best chances for proper depression treatment is when the actual person realizes that treatment is needed. However, at this stage treatment is out of the question as the person living through it can be overwhelmed by the thought of depression.
Full stage depression
When depression is constant and prevalent for long periods of time it would be possible some sufferers might recognize it for what it is or seek help from friends, family or professionals to discover the cause of their feeling of hopelessness.
Some people find out they need medication and treatment which in most cases is not cheap.
Acceptance
Working through the fears and uncertainties of depression is difficult. With the right help and the motivation to improve, many people start accepting depression for what it really is, how it affects their lives and the lives of those around them.
Acceptance means that the person suffering from depression wants to get back to a more balanced approach.
This can be an approach to life, events or certain triggers or just improve overall. Acceptance also means that the sufferer understands, at least at some level, how depression came into their lives.
It also means the person needs to be fully responsible and accept the positive of depression also.
There are lessons to be learned from every suffering and this should be a stage in which positives and negatives are seen for what they are.
Acceptance also revolves around the idea that the sufferer is looking forward either to break free from depression or look for solutions on how to do it.
How to make small changes beyond this stage
After the stage of acceptance, there are some small steps that can help the healing process. The first one should be to follow the advice of a professional.
If medication is prescribed, the person suffering from depression should follow the guideline on taking the drugs.
Improving daily meals is also one simple way to fight back against depression. Cooking a healthy meal is therapeutic in itself.
Eating healthy and balanced foods will also mean the body gets all vitamins and minerals necessary to avoid any symptoms related to depression.
Taking up a sport or joining a gym is also one of the best-known methods of lifting the mood or recovering from depression.
Regular daily exercise is a good way to maintain an energetic spirit; it can also motivate people in other sections of their existence like living a more organized life, getting to socialize, finding people with common interests, etc.
Reading is also a good way of fighting depression. Reading can be therapeutic. The person suffering from depression could read similar stories which might help on some level.
Reading on healthy living and staying informed on the holistic approach to life is also recommended.
And finally, reading can be a good time for meditation and thinking about life and bigger issues.
It can be a time of reflection and progress and it should provide the stepping stone to a more informed life.
Some people don’t feel comfortable talking about personal issues and this should also be a good reason to start reading about the stages of depression that are often overlooked.
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