In a post earlier about depression I was made out as the bad guy which is fine. But I have been down that dark road and I understand it quite well. I also know that entertaining the depression and wallowing in it is dangerous. Never got a t-shirt for my attempted suicide.
Allowing yourself to be swallowed by depression can lead to severe physical and mental health consequences, including an increased risk of self-harm or suicide, substance abuse, chronic illness, and the deterioration of relationships. Without treatment, depression can significantly worsen and prolong, impacting your thoughts, sleep, eating habits, and self-worth.
It's crucial to seek professional help, as clinical depression is a serious illness that cannot be overcome by simply "pulling yourself together".
Mental and emotional dangers
- Increased risk of self-harm and suicide: In severe cases, untreated depression can lead to self-harm or suicidal thoughts and actions.
- Cognitive distortions: Depression can warp your perception, leading to excessive self-blame, rumination, and a focus on negative experiences.
- Damaged relationships: Untreated depression can strain social connections, making it difficult to maintain meaningful relationships with others.
- Emotional numbing: A person may become emotionally detached, experience outbursts of anger, or develop resentment towards others.
- Loss of self-worth: Depression can lead to a feeling that your opinion, needs, and desires don't matter, eroding your self-confidence.
Physical health dangers
- Chronic pain and fatigue: Depression is linked to physical symptoms like chronic pain and a lack of energy.
- Increased risk of other illnesses: Chronic stress from untreated depression can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other cardiovascular problems.
- Immune system suppression: Depression can weaken the body's immune system.
- Sleep and eating problems: The condition can disrupt normal sleep and eating patterns, leading to disorders.
Social and behavioral dangers
- Substance abuse: There is an increased risk of developing a drug or alcohol addiction.
- Risky behaviors: Untreated depression can lead to other risky behaviors.
- Difficulty with other illnesses: It can make it harder to cope with and recover from other serious medical conditions.
- Work problems: The illness can cause difficulties with performance and engagement at work.
What to do
- Seek professional help: Clinical depression is an illness that requires treatment, such as medication and/or psychotherapy.
- Don't blame yourself: Depression is not a sign of personal weakness, and it is not your fault.
- Connect with others: Talk to trusted friends, family, or a support group to avoid feeling isolated.
- Find purpose: Engage in activities that give you a sense of meaning and purpose, and recognize your contributions to the lives of others.
One of the biggest things I noticed on a mental illness site was the unwillingness of people with depression to even try to do things to help themselves find their way out. Therapy wasn't helping, medication wasn't helping. It was replaced by constantly reliving the thing that put them there and constantly complaining because they weren't getting any better. I know it sounds heartless of me to make such a comment but,
I found it was actually better for me not to dwell on it and to find other things to do besides giving it license to take over my world. The more time I spent on the mental illness forum the worse I felt. You can't help yourself feel better if you're constantly going back to that dark place to visit it every day. One has to learn to turn their back on it and walk away.
If I had allowed myself to stay in the state I was in I guarantee I wouldn't be here right now. The stuff that drove me to that darkness was in my face every single day for over 50 years. Each day I kept waking up and coping with whatever each day brought. Therapy did no good. Meds did no good. I had to figure it out on my own. One thing I learned was the more I ignored it, the better things got.
There are lots of things online with ideas for coping mechanisms but many refuse to even try. You can't just sit there and do nothing and let it take your life. You have to fight. Sometimes that fighting is simply a good cry and other times it requires shutting down in order to get through it.
When I lost my mother I shut down for 2 years. The only thing I did was work and play video games. Until one day I was finally able to cope with the situation. I've lost my entire family because I couldn't mentally handle what was happening at that time. But it's ok. Because I'm a survivor. And that person no longer exists within me.
I try not to ever judge people but there are times when a person has to help themselves in life if they want to survive. I have been left to cope with my own sh*t my whole life. I'm surprised I'm not in a padded room right now. But here we are.
misread;
