People tell you to buck up. Life’s good–why can’t you be positive? Of course, they don’t understand that you’re trying hard to fight the sadness. What does depression feel like?
Understanding Depression
Woman in fetal position knows what does depression feel likeDepression is a mental health disorder that may require mental health treatment. Few people who struggle with the condition seek medical help. They think it’s something they should be able to overcome themselves. Sometimes, they merely accept it as a new normal. Causes of the disorder vary. For some, it’s a chemical imbalance in the brain. For others, there’s a genetic component. All types of depression respond to expert treatment.
What Does Depression Feel Like?
It’s difficult to make an outsider understand what it feels like to be in your mind and body. There’s an ongoing sadness that just won’t go away. However, frequently you also struggle with anxieties. Worst-case scenarios flash through your mind. You think that you should be happy seeing that you’re in a good place. Therefore, you’re down on yourself. You consider yourself unworthy of the good life you have. If you are a churchgoer, you probably beat yourself up for being unspiritual.
It’s hard to sleep. That said, you’re always so tired that you can barely function some days. You sometimes eat just to pass the time. Other times you cannot get yourself to eat anything. Because you know how hard it is for others to be around you, self-isolation begins to take over. You cancel plans. Pretty soon, people don’t include you any longer in invitations. They figure that you probably wouldn’t come anyway. They’re probably right.
More Than Just a Mental Illness
What does depression feel like on a physical level? It’s interesting to note that depression isn’t just sadness. Rather, it’s a disease with a whole-body impact. There’s the back pain that persists. Sitting down can be challenging. Lying down is only marginally better. Besides that, you may have painful muscles throughout the body. Similarly, there are headaches that keep on coming back.
You’ve tried everything to make them go away. People tell you that it’s stress at work. However, you wake up with them. In fact, there isn’t a day when you don’t experience tension headaches. Most importantly, there are stomach cramps. They make it hard to function sometimes. Similarly, they contribute to your depression. Certainly, the consistent chronic pain does little to help you feel better.
Treating Depression and Pain
You don’t have to keep suffering. There are treatments for depression as well as chronic pain. Examples include:
- Speedy new patient appointments that get you on the pathway to healing
- In-office procedures for pain management
- Full mental health assessment
- Individualized treatment plans that vary for each patient
- Development of treatment goals and ongoing tracking
What does depression feel like when it presents with physical symptoms? At our Tennessee depression treatment centers, Encore Health Group therapists know. Isn’t it time that you work with someone who understands? Make an appointment today.
