Feelings that come with depression
When you are depressed you are unhappy. But unfortunately there's more to depression than that:
- You are suffering from depression if you're not only unhappy but extremely unhappy!
- You are suffering from depression if you're not only frequently unhappy but unhappy all the time!
- You are suffering from depression if you're not only unhappy but unhappy for a long time!
- You are suffering from depression if you're not only unhappy about something but unhappy about almost everything!
In other words depression can be distinguished from general unhappiness by its:
- Severity
- Constancy
- Duration
- Lack of reactivity
Negative feelings
If you're suffering from depression you may have many negative feelings. You may:
- Have lost your ability to enjoy yourself
- Have lost your ability to feel happy
- Have lost your ability to enjoy music and art
- Have lost your ability to enjoy sex
- Have a pessimistic outlook
- Feel that everything is hopeless
- Feel that everything is worthless and unimportant
- Feel that nothing means anything to you
Negative thoughts?
If you're suffering from depression you may have many negative thoughts and a lowered self-esteem. You may think:
- I'm not good for anything
- I'm hopeless
- Nobody understands me
- Life is unfair
- I deserve everything to go wrong
- I deserve to be punished
- Death would be a relief
Negative actions?
If you're suffering from depression, you may behave negatively in that you:
- Don't talk to anyone
- Isolate yourself (keep to yourself)
- Eat too little (or too much)
- Abuse alcohol
- Abuse medication, drugs etc.
- Have aggressive outbursts
- Try to commit suicide
Your negative feelings, thoughts and actions reinforce each other, thereby prolonging and fuelling your depression.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can teach you to counteract negative thoughts and actions. CBT shows you how to break the vicious circle of negative feelings, thoughts and actions. By breaking this vicious circle, you can help lift your mood.