Is Depression the Invisible Monster in Your Mind?

“You say you’re ‘depressed’ – all I see is resilience. You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn’t mean you’re defective – it just means you’re human.”
—By David Mitchell

What If

• What if you didn’t fear depression?
• What if you weren’t so anxious about depression?
• What if you weren’t depressed about feeling depressed?

Imagine A Different Reality

• Imagine if you had been educated about this ominous feeling.
• Imagine if you had been informed that depression is not a diagnosis but a symptom of something else that’s wrong.
• Imagine a future void of anticipating feelings of depression returning.
• Imagine not identifying yourself as a depressed person.

You Are Not Broken

As the above quote states, “You are allowed to feel messed up,” so permit yourself to ‘feel.’

There’s no such thing as feeling happy all the time. Feelings will ebb throughout the day. There’s a word for that, and it’s called normal.

Understanding Your Feelings

You have to figure out where these feelings are coming from.

• Where were you when you first felt depressed?
• Who were you with?
• What lifestyle did you lead?
• With whom were you sharing your life?

What is your diet like, and how do you feel after consuming certain foods? This was a big one for me. Sugar, wheat gluten, and dairy are not my friends.

The Consequence of Suppression

Did you ask yourself why you were feeling this way? Or is this when you began to hide it, stifle it, and pretend it wasn’t there because you didn’t understand it, felt guilty or ashamed about it?

If you pretend the feeling doesn’t exist, you deny yourself your human right to ‘feel.’ If you hide it long enough, this feeling of depression will draw you inward with its tenacles, feast on you, and turn into another monster—anxiety!

Now, you have two monsters in your mind. You’re not only feeling depressed, you’re feeling anxious! Soon, anxiety reigns, dictating where you can go, how far you can go, or how long you can stay. Your world shrinks and becomes unbearably tiny as if you’re living in a box until you nearly disappear.

I remember a time when I felt overwhelmed by sadness and fatigue. I pushed through my days, convincing myself I was okay. This suppression eventually manifested as severe anxiety, causing panic attacks and sleepless nights. It wasn’t until I confronted these feelings head-on that I began to find relief and healing.

What Depression Is Not

• Sadness is not depression. (Unresolved issues may cling as sadness or grief—there’s no time limit for grief. Friends or a spouse may opine that you should be over these issues by now, but the more you hurry, the more they linger and the more anxious and depressed you become).

• Needing a deep rest is not depression.

• Exhaustion is not depression. (There are myriad reasons for exhaustion and fatigue—if the body is physically unwell, and so is the brain that affects the mind).

• Loneliness is not depression.

• Guilt is not depression. (Feeling guilty for feeling guilty?—feelings are your human right).

• Loss of interest is not depression. (Needing to move on because of outgrown old interests requires investigating new ones).

How do I know what depression is not?

Because I dug myself out of the deepest, darkest hole imaginable!

Killing the Monster

My monster was none of those things—it was all of those things.

How did I annihilate the monster?

I faced it head-on, colliding with this entity with the force of a Mac truck! Then I proceeded step by step in baby steps! I lived minute by minute, then hour by hour, then day by day until I realized the culmination of symptoms was a beast I created with my lifestyle.

I carried these feelings from the past into my future, not allowing myself even a moment to step back and feel. I didn’t rest when I needed to rest.

Until I understood that what I was experiencing wasn’t a single, diagnosable condition but a complex mix of emotions and physical responses, I began to heal.

Each was a signal from my body and mind that something needed attention. By recognizing these patterns and triggers, I saw that my so-called ‘depression’ was simply a label for a variety of underlying issues that had to be addressed individually.

Instead of viewing myself as a depressed person, I embraced my feelings as natural human experiences. I learned to listen to my body, to rest when I was tired, to seek connection when I felt lonely, and to find new interests when old ones were no longer suitable.

This approach allowed me to dismantle the monster piece by piece, understanding that each feeling was a part of a larger picture of my overall wellbeing.

The Problem with Labels

This monster is a complex interconnection of feelings and bodily responses mostly viewed as a singular diagnosis. It’s an umbrella term that encompasses several distinct aspects.

And why do I call it an umbrella term? Because within the label of ‘depression,’ there’s a multitude of emotions and physical sensations, each signaling something deeper.

These feelings—such as sadness, fatigue, guilt, and loss of interest—are like puzzle pieces, hinting at an underlying issue within our bodies.

In reality, depression is not a standalone entity. It’s a messenger—an alarm system alerting us to imbalances, unresolved stress, or other health-related concerns. By recognizing these symptoms as interconnected signals, you can better understand what’s truly going on in your body and mind.

When the symptoms hit you all at once, and you are uninformed about these feelings, any old Joe can come along and tell you, “Oh, you’re depressed. You better get over that. Go see a counselor or a shrink and take something for that.”

But if you were educated and adequately informed about these feelings and didn’t fear them, how would that have helped you?

The Dilemma with Quick Fixes

So, you’re urgently escorted into a psychiatrist’s office who hands out Serotonin enhancers or suppressants like Halloween candy. After all, you’ve been feeling like this for over two weeks!

Is there a time limit on feelings?

This is numbing you. This is stealing your human right to ‘feel.’

While medication can be life-saving and necessary for some, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and we must recognize that it’s not the only solution.

Medication may help manage symptoms and provide superficial relief, but it should be part of a comprehensive approach that includes understanding and addressing the root cause.

Is Exercise More Effective than Medication for Depression and Anxiety?

A new study reveals just that.

One in eight people globally suffers from mental issues, so it’s worth implementing at least a daily run or walk in nature—but remember the baby steps.

Getting Informed

Educating yourself, doing your research about depression, and allowing yourself to feel without fear is the first step towards conquering it. If you need to, seek help, but also seek understanding. Brain Energy is an excellent book by Dr. Christopher M. Palmer, Harvard psychiatrist.

Stand still for a moment, look within, and allow yourself to ‘feel.’ Let that moment of fear pass through you until you come out on the other side.

Then, move forward. Standing still too long will hold you in that moment, and that moment will become your life.

You are not alone, and you are not defective. You are capable and resilient.

Move forward.

Feel worthy because you are!

I’ll leave you with a poem on how I felt long ago. I no longer feel that way. As I read it now, I find how I wrote it unimaginable. I couldn’t write it quite this way today.

He cupped my sorrow in one hand,
pressing strength against my spine.

From this beveled edge I lie,
a single fingerprint impressed—
you were sufficient all this time.

I barely recognized the dent
in the hollow of my back,
a mark of birth He touched me—
a life singularly mine.

Acquainted with an image
of this beveled edge, I lie.

Extended fingers from his cup
sustain me
’til another day I cry.

Omnipotence embracing
my serpentine spine,
aligning it with a whisper—
you were sufficient all this time!

—By Cindy

Disclaimer: The information on this blog is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your qualified health professional before changing your health or wellness routine. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.