Two Kinds of Depression
…That You Can Handle Without Your Pharmacist, Doctor, or Shrink
The contemporary model of depression is biological, but depression can also be caused by emotional and lifestyle factors, a wake-up call or a time of personal growth.
The contemporary model for depression focuses on a biological or chemical cause, and a pharmaceutical treatment. This model works for some people, but it isn’t always the most appropriate, effective, or necessary approach to depression. There are varying interpretations and treatments for depression that can be equally or more effective than popping an antidepressant pill – natural or not.
Why Antidepressants Don’t Work In Every Case
Apart from the fact that there are real, substantiated hazards associated with antidepressant drugs, the reality is that no two people are alike. No matter how similar their symptoms, no two people will respond the same way to identical treatment.
This is particularly so when dealing with psychological illness like depression, which may have several causes that each require unique treatment.
Two Kinds of Depression That You Can Handle Without Your Pharmacist, Doctor, or Shrink (although the shrink might come in handy)
If we accept the premise that biology (genetics and neurotransmitters) can be a major factor in depression, it’s not much of a stretch to consider that chemistry (food and other things we put into and on our bodies) and psychology (our thoughts and feelings about our life) can equally play a role.
For some individuals, the cause of depression will turn out to be only one of these three. Others may be affected by more than one. The following deals with the two major emotional causes of depression – and what you can do about them.
Depression as a Wake-Up Call
Depression can be a sign that something in your life feels amiss.
Your desperation for change in your life may manifest as a physical ailment in your body or it may show up as depression if:
- you are in an unhappy relationship but feel you can’t leave;
- you’re struggling through another semester in a university program you hate;
- you hide who you really are behind the persona you want other people to see;
- you are living a life someone else told you would be better, safer, or more lucrative than the life you wanted to lead.
This type of depression can be one of the most challenging to face, because the pain and melancholy will usually not be fully gone until you are able to look yourself in the eye and know that you are doing what you, body, mind, and soul, really need for yourself.
This kind of wake-up call is trying and ultimately very precious. It can force a person to reassess their life and find the path that is most meaningful and truest to their heart.
Healing Depression: A Chance to Recuperate
The second type of beneficial depression typically occurs after a trauma, a personal tragedy, alongside grief and stress, or even after an intense positive experience. This depression may be relatively minor or more lasting. It signals a need to retreat and recharge on an emotional level.
Unlike the modern world, ancient cultures respected the need of the human body, mind and soul for respite to heal itself. Sometimes, that really is all it takes.
In either of these types of depression, professional help is not the only solution but it can be an invaluable aid. Please consult with a psychotherapist or counselor if you feel you may be suffering from depression.
