If you’ve landed on this page you’re probably wondering: What is depression? How can you define depression? What are the causes of depression? And what can you do if you have it? We’re going to answer all these questions and give you some ideas about how personal development can help you with depression. Please also scroll through this website for more ideas on how you can use personal development to help improve your life.
Depression is similar to wading through a thick fog without the ability to see what is positive in life. You feel heavy in your mind and body. Rather than moving through sad emotions you stay stuck in a state of sadness and lack interest in doing activities. You may feel hopelessness, anxiety, have low energy levels, find it difficult to concentrate and think with a negative mindset. Even eating habits may change and sleep patterns could be unbalanced. Depression, like any other emotion, affects how you think, feel and behave. Many times it’s debilitating and denies you of the capacity to live a full and satisfying life.
In a depressive pattern you feel stuck and no matter what you do you do it half-heartedly. You’ve lost your passion in life and feel as though you are spiralling deeper down into a pit of misery.
Causes of depression
There are as many causes of depression as there are people in the world. For instance, any life event or change may cause a state of depression including financial difficulties, job loss, relationship break-up, family quarrels, menopause or a life threatening or debilitating physical ailment. Some types of medications are known to bring on a depressed mood. Depression can also be the result of many physiological or psychological problems. Each case of depression is unique. Due to the many causes of depression you will need to seek medical advice from a professional for specific diagnosis and treatment for your needs. This article can only offer suggestions from a personal development perspective, which is not suited to everyone.
What is depression and how can personal development help?
When you’re considering what is depression from a personal development perspective you have an opportunity to delve deeply into the thoughts and behaviours that hold the misery in place. If your depression is the result of a life change or event you are likely stuck in the past, or projecting into the future of what might be. This can cause anxiety and sadness. As Eckhart Tolle suggests in his book, “The Power of Now” that living in the present moment is the only moment you can create your life. So, when you are feeling stuck in sad emotions ask yourself these questions:
- What’s happening now? Notice your surroundings.
- What are the positives aspects of where I am now? Be grateful for the things you have.
- Observe how you are feeling in your body when you are being grateful.
Do some exploring and define depression for yourself.
In personal development you have the opportunity to recognise what is depression for yourself. Take some time to define depression and what may have created your depressive state. As we discussed above the causes of depression are unique for each person. Gain awareness of your own personal state of depression. Notice especially how your thoughts affect how you feel.
When you are feeling depressed you tend to see the world through negative thinking. But your thoughts are only your perspective, and not the truth. When you believe in your thoughts as truth is when they control your life. Thoughts are only your internal dialogues and are what you learned from past experiences and societal constructs.
When you experience depression your thoughts become muddy, heavy and negative. But these thoughts are not real, and in personal development you have the choice to change them. Choose instead to flick the switch on negative thoughts and change to them positive ones. If you find yourself analysing or over thinking the situation you will probably notice this as one of the causes of depression. Over thinking it will create more mental blockages maintains your heavy emotions of sadness, hopelessness or a sense of loss.
To sum up, be consciously aware in your present moment and be grateful for the little things in life, use thought awareness to understand your thinking patterns and choose to think more positively. Define what is depression for you personally and what are the causes of depression in your life. Everyone is different. There is always a reason for depression. If you wish to heal your depression, you need to heal your mind first. And a journey through personal development techniques can help you learn more about yourself so that you have the knowledge and power to improve your life.