Depression?
Do you experience these symptoms? Not just 4 or 5 of them - but many of them?
* Persistently sad, anxious, angry, irritable, or "empty" mood
* Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
* Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
* Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
* Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
* Decreased appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and/or weight gain
* Fatigue, decreased energy, being "slowed down"
* Crying spells
* Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts
* Restlessness, irritability
* Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
* Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and/or chronic pain
(from medicinenet.com and also Mayo Clinic)
Those are signs/symptoms of depression.
I should probably define one of those. "Irritable" means, essentially, "too easily angered." "You become enraged at small things."(Depression signs, types, diagnosis, treatment)(e.g., you fly off the handle over something that at another time would be inconsequential)
If that's you, please see a doctor. Quickly. You need to seek counseling.
A persistently angry mood can turn into grossly inappropriate anger in seconds.
Anger is a strong link between depression and child abuse ( Risk factors).
And, yes, having too much sensory input can contribute ( anger and depression, blog entry).
BUT.
Depression is not an illness that you can just "snap out of". There are underlying causes for depression, causes that make an otherwise ordinary incident focus your anger on yourself. Freud mentions that depression is "anger turned inwards." All the symptoms reflect this. But from what came that anger? Why is it there?
Causes of depression can include (from Depression signs, types, diagnosis, treatment):
* Genetics. If you have family members who have suffered from depression, you may have a greater risk of developing depression yourself, although there is currently no direct gene that has been found to cause depression.
* Early childhood trauma or abuse. Emotional trauma and abuse has a powerful effect on the psyche. If you had traumatic early life experiences, you may be more at risk to develop depression during or after a stressful life event.
* Loneliness and lack of social support. A key risk factor for depression is isolation and loneliness. Lack of support, whether it is family, friends or colleagues, makes coping with stress all the more difficult. Having marital and relationship problems can also make you feel alone and frustrated.
* Recent stressful or traumatic life experiences. Some events, like losing a loved one, are clearly stressful and cause enormous disruption and strain in our lives. However, anything that causes change can be a stressful life experience, even if it is normally considered a happy event such as a big work promotion, a wedding or childbirth.
* Alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and drugs can cause strong depression symptoms on their own. They can also make you more vulnerable to depression even if you decide to stop using them. Some people try to treat themselves with alcohol and drugs to self medicate, but this only worsens the problem.
* Finances and employment. Financial strain can be an enormous stressor. Struggling to pay the bills or mortgage, or suddenly becoming unemployed, is a very stressful life event. Being unemployed can be a blow to self confidence and can be a very difficult adjustment, especially for men.
* Health problems or chronic pain. Health problems and chronic pain may reduce your mobility, your ability to work or your spare time. They can chip away at supportive relationships and make you feel hopeless and frustrated.
Child abuse is not only physical. It includes emotional, verbal, mental, psychological; it includes lack of attention; it includes all manner of things that develop later on into self-loathing and self-anger - major components of depression.
See a doctor. Quickly. GET HELP.
* Persistently sad, anxious, angry, irritable, or "empty" mood
* Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
* Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
* Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
* Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
* Decreased appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and/or weight gain
* Fatigue, decreased energy, being "slowed down"
* Crying spells
* Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts
* Restlessness, irritability
* Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
* Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and/or chronic pain
(from medicinenet.com and also Mayo Clinic)
Those are signs/symptoms of depression.
I should probably define one of those. "Irritable" means, essentially, "too easily angered." "You become enraged at small things."(Depression signs, types, diagnosis, treatment)(e.g., you fly off the handle over something that at another time would be inconsequential)
If that's you, please see a doctor. Quickly. You need to seek counseling.
A persistently angry mood can turn into grossly inappropriate anger in seconds.
Anger is a strong link between depression and child abuse ( Risk factors).
And, yes, having too much sensory input can contribute ( anger and depression, blog entry).
BUT.
Depression is not an illness that you can just "snap out of". There are underlying causes for depression, causes that make an otherwise ordinary incident focus your anger on yourself. Freud mentions that depression is "anger turned inwards." All the symptoms reflect this. But from what came that anger? Why is it there?
Causes of depression can include (from Depression signs, types, diagnosis, treatment):
* Genetics. If you have family members who have suffered from depression, you may have a greater risk of developing depression yourself, although there is currently no direct gene that has been found to cause depression.
* Early childhood trauma or abuse. Emotional trauma and abuse has a powerful effect on the psyche. If you had traumatic early life experiences, you may be more at risk to develop depression during or after a stressful life event.
* Loneliness and lack of social support. A key risk factor for depression is isolation and loneliness. Lack of support, whether it is family, friends or colleagues, makes coping with stress all the more difficult. Having marital and relationship problems can also make you feel alone and frustrated.
* Recent stressful or traumatic life experiences. Some events, like losing a loved one, are clearly stressful and cause enormous disruption and strain in our lives. However, anything that causes change can be a stressful life experience, even if it is normally considered a happy event such as a big work promotion, a wedding or childbirth.
* Alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and drugs can cause strong depression symptoms on their own. They can also make you more vulnerable to depression even if you decide to stop using them. Some people try to treat themselves with alcohol and drugs to self medicate, but this only worsens the problem.
* Finances and employment. Financial strain can be an enormous stressor. Struggling to pay the bills or mortgage, or suddenly becoming unemployed, is a very stressful life event. Being unemployed can be a blow to self confidence and can be a very difficult adjustment, especially for men.
* Health problems or chronic pain. Health problems and chronic pain may reduce your mobility, your ability to work or your spare time. They can chip away at supportive relationships and make you feel hopeless and frustrated.
Child abuse is not only physical. It includes emotional, verbal, mental, psychological; it includes lack of attention; it includes all manner of things that develop later on into self-loathing and self-anger - major components of depression.
See a doctor. Quickly. GET HELP.