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Have you ever heard the expression “You’re your own worst enemy”? You’d think that we always have our own best interests at heart, but that’s not always true. When you’re fighting depression, one of the realities you’ll be confronted with is that your mind can be working against you, and you can be your own worst enemy. It’s important to get the right support and have a clear strategy to deal with depression effectively. When you approach depression as something of a challenge that needs to be managed rather than an enemy that you need to conquer and defeat all at once, you can build effective strategies that promote your resilience and emotional health in the long term. Facing the Key Challenges of Depression As you address depression, an important part of that is to understand what depression is. Depression is a mood disorder, a medical and psychological condition that affects the way you think, feel, and behave in everyday situations. When you struggle to regulate your own emotions and thoughts, you’ll often feel like you’re not yourself. Having depression isn’t a personal weakness or a character flaw. You need to acknowledge that. It’s also important that you educate yourself about how things like your brain chemistry, genetics, stressors, and your environment play a role in depression. By tracking your mood and identifying the triggers that are relevant to you, you can be better prepared to deal with what comes. The key challenges that often come with depression include the fact that you’ll typically experience a loss of energy and motivation. Many people who have gone through depression report feeling tired and unmotivated, to the point where even simple tasks like getting dressed, typing out a message, or meeting a friend for coffee feel overwhelming. Things that once were [...]

Depression can seem daunting and intense, even scary. Perhaps you’ve wondered whether you or a loved one struggles with depression. Understanding how depression can present and the effects it can have can prove to be empowering.Symptoms of DepressionMaybe you’ve been asked a series of questions by a doctor or provider to determine if depressive symptoms are present. Some common depressive symptoms include:Little interest or pleasure in doing thingsExcessive tiredness/exhaustionLack of appetite or overeatingFeelings of sadnessHopelessnessDifficulty sleeping or sleeping too muchNegative self-talk/self-esteemDifficulty concentratingAbnormal movement cadenceSuicidal tendencySome additional symptoms can be social isolation, lack of motivation, irritability, negative self-talk, negative thoughts about others, or the world. It is important to note that the presence of any of these symptoms does not automatically mean you are depressed.The Whole YouMind, body, spirit – multiple intricate parts make up the whole you. Our Creator made us “fearfully and wonderfully” (Psalm 139:14) in our mother’s womb. Anyone who has studied the human body and all its intricacies can conclude that the body works together to achieve homeostasis.Consider how a “problem” or “issue” in one part of you can affect others. It is common to hear how a defective or weak part of the body can negatively impact another part of the body entirely. The same can be true with mental illness. As we examine the symptoms of depression, let’s look at how other areas of our lives may be feeling the toll as well.The MindDepression can be a result of improper brain functionality, whether it be a “hardware” or “software” issue. Let’s think of “hardware” as the biological components of the brain and “software” as the thoughts. Both can be contributors to symptoms of depression.Our thoughts can have a direct impact on our mood/emotions, physiological responses, and behavior. Additionally, our thoughts can form neural pathways over [...]