Long-term emotional and mental torment can lead a person to gradually sink into depression, and may even lead to extreme actions.
People with depression tend to disguise themselves, and may find it difficult to locate the real root cause. When diagnosed with depression, they may actually feel relieved.
Many people have heard of depression, but do not fully understand it. Some individuals may not even realize they have depression, and those around them who hear about it may even think they are “faking it.”
Individuals with tendencies toward depression often repeat these 4 phrases, which many mistakenly interpret as “faking it”:
“It’s all my fault.”
Many depression sufferers often get fixated on trivial matters, perhaps due to a small mistake they made, which they then magnify infinitely and attribute all responsibility to themselves.
Sometimes they see no shining light, and may even develop strong feelings of self-blame and guilt that slowly consume their inner selves, leading to increasing feelings of inferiority and even thoughts of suicide.
“Life is not worth living.”
One of the most common manifestations of depression is negative and pessimistic thoughts. Therefore, more severe sufferers may entertain thoughts of ending their lives.
This is why we often see news reports of individuals who lose their lives to depression. As depression worsens, the feeling that life is not worth living can turn into action, requiring such individuals to seek timely professional medical help.
“It’s meaningless.”
When a friend invites you to go out, go hiking, watch a movie, or play games, and your first reaction is that it’s meaningless and you cannot summon any interest, preferring to stay at home.
Even though going out used to be your favorite thing to do, individuals with depression gradually lose interest in things that used to excite them, feeling that everything is useless and has no meaning.
“I’m useless.”
Individuals with depression often feel worthless. They believe they are burdensome and a drag on others without any value, especially when they make mistakes. This feeling grows stronger, with self-doubt as the seed that once planted, continues to sprout and grow, making individuals increasingly self-deprecating and eventually losing hope in life.
When experiencing mild to severe depression, the abovementioned 4 phrases become common, indicating the need for timely medical attention. Those around them should not dismiss them as “faking it,” as it could be a precursor to depression.
There are actually quite a number of people around us suffering from depression, with some groups being more prone to it. Depression, like other diseases, also has its “favorites.”
Depression tends to affect 6 types of people, hopefully you are not among them!
Those who have experienced adverse stress events
Research has found that depression often occurs following stressful events such as the loss of loved ones, family discord or divorce, work pressure, strained relationships, overwhelming stress, illness, financial difficulties, and more.
These events can exert the greatest pressure on an individual both physically and mentally and can lead to a state where they feel exhausted and unable to cope, gradually leading to depression.
People prone to inner anxiety
Anxiety is a common factor that contributes to depression. Prolonged anxiety can easily lead to depression, with patients having very low self-esteem, feeling useless, and lacking value. Severe depression sufferers may even contemplate suicide and lose hope in their lives.
People in troubled marital situations
Data shows that individuals without intimate relationships or who are separated or divorced are more likely to develop depression. Unhappy marital lives, such as being blamed, ridiculed by a spouse, infidelity, domestic violence, can all lead to psychological depression in the affected partner.
Those who have undergone unfavorable educational methods
Unfavorable educational methods are a major factor in triggering depression, especially for children who have lacked emotional care from a young age or have had poor relationships with their parents. These individuals have a higher likelihood of developing depression. Moreover, excessive protection and control can also increase the risk of depression.
Individuals with “flaws” in their personality
Personality plays an intimate role in the onset of depression, including perfectionists, neurotic personalities, lack of self-confidence, etc. Perfectionists who continually fail to meet their own expectations may experience repeated setbacks which can lead to anxiety, a significant psychological gap, and over time, imbalanced mental states, all of which increase the probability of developing depression.
Lack of social support system
When an individual encounters difficulties and lacks support and assistance from society or family, the resulting sense of anxiety and repression can gradually lead to abnormal emotional states, thereby increasing the risk of developing depression.
If you have depression, how can you regulate it?
Firstly, avoid excessive self-isolation. If you notice abnormal emotions and signs of depression, it’s crucial not to isolate yourself. Instead, communicate more with friends, experience the positive aspects of life, let the depressive emotions ease, and gradually come out of it.
Secondly, cultivate your interests. Depression sufferers lose confidence in life, feeling disinterested in everything, but it’s crucial not to be discouraged, rather find activities you enjoy. Painting, singing, dancing, etc., can uplift your mood and help alleviate depression.
Lastly, seek advice from professional doctors. When unable to self-regulate depression, seek help because getting trapped in a dead-end can worsen the depression. Consult a professional doctor for guidance to step out of it slowly, and regain confidence in life.
