What is it? How do we cope & Do we every truly get over it?!

Everyone experiences it right? Depression… Or do they? Is it a permanent fixture in our lives once it’s moved itself in to our lives? Like that age old wine stain on great aunties 60 year old rug.. I want to let you know, that no matter what, there is NOTHING wrong with you & you don’t have to live with Depression symptoms for the rest of your life.

Take it from me, I’ve experienced depression from all sides of the table and only found I came through it when I understood the functionality and reasons for its presence. Now I help my clients understand the same thing.

There’s no denying depression is a complex mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Today, we’ll explore what depression is, its symptoms, possible causes, strategies for coping and what has been found that your therapist wont ever tell you.

Lets open our minds and step into a state of willingness and openness to take in some new information. Just like depression, being willing and open to learn something new (curiosity) is a state.

Lets start with the usual symptoms outlined by most blogs. Vlogs and therapists,  symptoms include:

• Persistent low mood or sadness
• Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
• Changes in appetite and weight
• Sleep disturbances
• Fatigue and low energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide

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Now for some added extras that aren’t spoken about very often

• Urges to withdraw from society, friends and family
• Reticular activating centre starts to focus only on the negative
• Recurring and intrusive thoughts of overwhelming dark negative thoughts
• Bodily aches and pains that seem to have no root cause.
• Reactions are slow and heavy
• Brain fog
• Motivation to complete tasks fades
• Procrastination increases
• Reluctance to leave the house
• Reluctance to get out of bed
• Reluctance to practice self care
• Reluctance to bathe/shower
• Irritability with others and mundane tasks
• Heart palpitations
• Lowered oxygen levels
• Changes in the functionality and chemistry in the brain
• Perpetuating Cyclic negative thought feed back loops (that seem uncontrollable
• AN almost obsessive focus on negative past experiences that can’t be changed.
• An eruptive urge for anger or sorrowful emotions when challenged about our state
• A pessimistic outlook
• A negative mindset. (often inherited from family circles as a child)
• Overwhelm
• Extreme indecisiveness

Lets see what main stream promotes as the causes of depression:

• Biological factors: Genetics, brain chemistry, and hormonal imbalances.
• Environmental factors: Traumatic life events, chronic stress, or a history of abuse.
• Psychological factors: Low self-esteem, negative thought patterns, and a pessimistic outlook.

Lets expand on these, to be more transparent and accurate.

• Brain chemistry changes with what you focus on, what emotions are attached to the scenario, the level of emotions felt and through which lense it is focused on. (all of these can be changed by you!) change your focus and the brain responds and changed the chemistry,
• The published vague and unproven studies on what role genetics play in depression are designed to suit the narrative of cyclic dead-end therapies on the involvement of genetics in the presence of depression cases.
• Depression is a state, as is curiosity. (and a state can be changed most diagnosis support outdated, dead end and cyclic therapy modalities.)
• Environmental factors do play a part but, viewing depression through the lense of it being a state these environmental factors have less of a stand in their role of our depression.
• Most of us who have experienced trauma events, have never experienced depression as a direct onset symptom immediately after a trauma event. The majority who experience compounded stress (that presents as trauma symptoms) and trauma simply do not have the tools to adequately process and release trauma from the mind, body, RAS or the nervous system.
• Depression is the end product symptom of unprocessed trauma and stress events experienced through life coupled with the learned mindset of the people around you. (you learn how to think about the world and you learn your mindset from first and foremost your parents and your close family units in the formative years of your life (3-9 years old). A little more info: If we failed to mirror the behaviours of our close family during these years we would be rejected and this would mean ultimately death (in cave man standards).

This is where in my journey the topic of neural pathways came into view. Learning that both brain chemistry and neural networks in our brains CAN be changed the world of recovery, healing and growth opened up for me and by proxy opened up to all of my clients and now… you..

Here’s an insiders piece of information that opened the world up for not only a better understanding of why but a clearer understanding of the how and what in regard to behaviour, conditioning and internal programming of our minds.

Depression as you already know, significantly impact brain function, leading to various cognitive, chemical, emotional, and physical changes. Effects do vary from person to person, but here are some  ways in which our brain function may be affected with depression:

1. Emotional Regulation: It has been found that depression can disrupt the brain’s ability to regulate emotions. Leading to persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a reduced ability to experience pleasure. The brain’s reward system, is alters the release of certain neurotransmitters, during depressive episodes. Overwhelming tearfulness, anger, a sense of constant foreboding can be experienced.
2. Cognitive Function: Many individuals with depression experience cognitive impairments, such as difficulties with concentration, memory, and decision-making. This is often referred to as “brain fog”.
3. Attention and Focus: One of the most prevalent symptoms of depression maintaining steady concentration on tasks or to sustain attention.
4. Negative Thinking: Depression often involves a pattern of negative and pessimistic thinking. The brain tends to focus on negative events and interpretations, which can perpetuate depressive symptoms. What we aren’t told is that what we focus on we get due to the RAS filtering out everything that doesn’t align with the subject being focused on.
5. Sleep Disturbances: Insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns are common in depression. Sleep disturbances can further affect brain function, as sleep is crucial for cognitive and emotional regulation.
6. Chronic Stress: Chronic stress and elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol (your bodys’ main stress hormone that work with certain parts of your brain to control your mood, motivation, and fear.) are often associated with depression. Prolonged stress can impact the structure and function of the brain, particularly in regions responsible for the body’s stress response. Chronis stress and repeated/compounded trauma has been found to physically alter and damage the brain.
7. Neurotransmitter Imbalances: Depression is often linked to imbalances in neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. These chemicals play a crucial role in mood regulation and overall brain function. Comprehensive studies hove shown that these hormones can be brought back into balance with deliberate action and the right modalities that support rebuilding the mindset structure of the sufferer.
8. Neuroplasticity: Depression can influence the brain’s capacity for neuroplasticity, in regards to recovery when an over application of talk therapy and prolonged medication. Neuroplasticity is the ability to adapt, change and evolve in response to experiences.

Lets explore the main stream “strategies”:

1. Seek Professional Help Narrator: A qualified therapist or counselor can provide therapy, which may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or medication when necessary.

2. Build a Support Network Narrator: Reach out to friends and family for emotional support. Sharing your feelings with trusted individuals can make a significant difference.

3. Self-Care Narrator: Taking care of your physical and mental health is crucial. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and sufficient sleep can help improve your mood.

4. Mindfulness and Meditation Narrator: Practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques can help you manage stress and negative thoughts.

5. Set Realistic Goals Narrator: Break down your tasks into manageable steps, setting realistic goals to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

6. Engage in Enjoyable Activities Narrator: Reconnect with activities you once enjoyed or try new hobbies to bring joy back into your life.

Although these are “helpful” there are no real life application that are solution based as they point at WHAT and fail to describe the how and why.

Lets look at some self empowered actions and decisions you can make TODAY around your depression and how you can start recovering right now.

1. Firstly and most importantly if you struggle with depression know that there is NOTHING wrong with you! You are simply stuck in a neural feed back loop that you haven’t yet learned the tools to break, transform and grow.
2. Next If you experience depression it’s because you have either experienced compounded high levels of stress (that present as trauma symptoms) OR you have experienced trauma.
3. Depression is a trauma response and a response can be changed.Know that your medication 95% of the time was designed for you to have an extra tool in your tool belt to support you while you learn the tools and adapt to your healing and growth.
4. Learn how to quiet your mind through deliberate detachment from your thoughts.
5. Recognise that YOU are NOT your emotions, you FEEL your emotions and they are a part of your internal navigational system.
6. Recognise that you DO have the ability to observe your thoughts (it takes practice but being able to observe your thoughts and emotions through the lense of curiosity rather than fear, guilt, despair is an extremely important key to your recovery healing and growth.
7. Choose YOUR recovery and growth over every one else.
8. Choose to actively know how and why you personally do, think choose and behave the way you do.
9. Become the main investigator of your lifes journey.Self select from groups and friends who facilitate the retelling of trauma experiences (these keep your RAS focused on reminders and create new reasons to remain depressed).
10. Get curious about you, don’t be afraid to learn about the inner workings of your mind, brain and nervous system. (yes you are smart enough to understand it)
11. Keep an open mind and learn from many teachers, professors and masters.
12. Simplify your environment, a cluttered and unorganised environment lends to overwhelm for your brain clogging your cognitive functions.
    • Take it easy on your self, Practie self compassion

If you know someone struggling/living with depression, it’s essential to offer your support and encourage them to seek holistic support. Be patient, empathetic, and a good listener.

Depression is a challenging condition, but it is treatable and you can recover. If you or someone you know is struggling, remember that there is hope and help available. Reach out to mental health professionals who are solution based, have and use a combination of different modalities and networks to support you in your journey. One of the most important choices in regards to your healing and recovery is a strong solution based support network. Avoid groups that perpetuate on the symptoms, who are victim mindset driven and who facilitate the status quo around depression.

Thank you for joining me this week and putting a spot light on depression. It’s always my aim to support any one with questions about their mental health to get the answers I was never afforded and assumed I was too simple to understand.

 If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, don’t hesitate to reach out and make a booking through the www.psychhack.au website. We work with our clients holistically. We factor in all elements and give the support, tools, techniques and education a regular therapist won’t. We work closely with like minded solution based therapists. I’d like to let you know, you aren’t alone, you don’t have to spend decades in old school dead end therapies, there is a path to recovery.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Book a CONSULTATION WITH ME.. to put together your road map to success session plan..

Follow the link below and book today!

www.psychhack.au

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