Are you depressed and exhausted from life? If you are not enjoying your life anymore, then you might be suffering from depression. In addition, even your daily tasks seem like a stone that makes you feel as if you are still burdened with the things you still have to accomplish. Depression is not a one-size-fits-all psychological disorder. It comes in different forms, and treating one type of depression may not cure another one. Additionally, depression, in many countries, falls under the category of disability as provided by the laws and regulations.
In this article, you will get a detailed knowledge of depression being a disability and how it can negatively impact your life and thoughts. In addition, a comprehensive guide on the effective ways to overcome depression.
What is depression?
A person experiences sadness for a shorter period as compared to depression and stays for a longer duration. It stays with you for a more extended period than sadness. Depression can lead to significant disturbances in your work and personal life. Depression does not only revolve around sadness, but it can negatively affect substantial areas of your life. The intensity of such unfavorable impacts can increase if there is a delay in treating symptoms of depression. Over time, the symptoms of depression become severe and start to impact your day-to-day functionality, leading to disability. This is why understanding how depression symptoms contribute to disability is crucial for a depressive patient.
Emotional Symptoms:
Depression negatively impacts your emotional state and completely deteriotes your physical and mental health. The primary emotional signs of depression are persistent low mood, diminished interest in fun activities, and hopelessness. Eventually, these feelings can reduce motivation to maintain relationships and indulge in social activities. Over time, this emotional burden can lead to isolation and withdrawal from society, contributing to a decline in overall functioning.
Cognitive Dysfunctioning:
Depression also causes thought dysfunctioning, which results in problems with focusing, decision-making, and memory. These can be a reason for distress in the workplace and schools since focus and mental clarity are the most demanded components in such settings. This will directly affect your performance, making you unable to meet your responsibilities. Eventually, you will experience unemployment or poor performance.
Physical Symptoms:
Depression negatively impacts different facets of life, including physical health. Some physical symptoms of depression include constant tiredness, changes in eating habits, insomnia, and muscle joint pains. Such physical obstacles can reduce a person’s physical potential in daily activities such as household chores, personal hygiene, and getting out of bed. When physical signs of depression are not managed appropriately, it can lead to worsening of the patient’s physical capabilities, leading to disability.
Social Impairments:
The combination of emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms results in significant dysfunction in one of the major areas of life, “social functioning.” Over time, the sufferer adapts avoidant behavior in social interactions, resulting in a weakened support network of friends and family. These social and occupational consequences seriously affect the patient’s quality of life through loss of income and increased financial pressure.
Learn More: Does depression make you tired? Explore the top facts!
What are the causes of depression?
There is no single cause of depression. The onset of depression happens due to everyday major life events like the sudden demise of a loved one, divorce, or loss of a job. But one who may be living the best kind of life will still be able to develop depression. Risk factors for depression include:
Brain chemistry:
Your mind requires specific chemicals in the correct balance to work correctly. If any one of these brain chemicals is out of balance, you may develop mental disorders, including depression.
Environmental factors:
Being in an environment where one experiences abuse, neglect, poorness, or violence makes one vulnerable to depression.
Genetics:
Depression can be hereditary at times. If it is running in your family, then you are at high risk of developing depression.
Personality:
Personality characteristics play a significant role in the development of depression. People with pessimistic personalities are more vulnerable to suffering from depression.
The Struggle of Living with a Mental Disability
In depression, daily tasks that may have been once easy, like waking up from bed, going to work, or even talking to a family member, may prove to be very difficult. Interruption in daily life functioning is one of the reasons why depression is labeled as a disability. It hinders a person from effectively working, taking care of their responsibilities, and going out with peers and friends.
Social Isolation:
Being lonely is perhaps one of the most challenging realities that most patients with mental disability have to endure. Combating with a mental issue can make people feel judged by friends, relatives, and colleagues due to certain stigmas associated with mental health issues. Such detachment causes depression due to loneliness. Negative thoughts can cause people to lack confidence and low self-esteem, making it hard to share their thoughts.
Emotional Toll:
The amount of vulnerability that is linked with a mental disability is not physical but emotional. One is constantly fighting with his negative thoughts, tolerating prejudice from society, and trying to act normal, hence leading to extreme emotional trauma. Low self-esteem, guilt, and hopelessness are some of the feelings a sufferer is likely to experience. Due to lack of proper assistance, these emotions cause a deterioration of the current mental state or even lead to suicidal thoughts.
Learn More: What is psychiatric medication management in mental health?
What is the significant way to treat depression?
It is near to impossible for depression to go away on its own. Depression may stay for months and sometimes years and, if not treated, has numerous impacts on a person’s life.
Every person combating depression should seek appropriate treatment options. It can take time and patience to find an effective treatment. Mild symptoms may be relieved by:
- Learning about mental health conditions
- Changes in lifestyle, such as exercising, jogging, etc
- Online mental health treatments such as psychotherapy
While moderate and severe conditions require proper mental health treatment along with prescribed psychiatric medications.
Psychological treatment for depression
Psychological treatments are an excellent way to treat depression. It’s often utilized to modify thinking patterns and enhance the ability to cope with stress or solve conflicts more healthily.
There are several different types of psychological treatments. The most commonly used are:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Interpersonal therapy (IPT)
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)
Psychiatric Medications:
The primary treatment for overcoming depression is the prescription of psychiatric medications. Individuals with bipolar depression and psychotic depression must be treated with medicine. Often, antidepressants are prescribed alongside other psychological treatments when a person has a moderate to severe episode of depression. Sometimes, they are used as an alternative as different mental health treatments are ineffective or when psychological therapies cannot be used because a condition is severe or a person has no access to the required mental health treatment.
This may involve a single medication or a combination of a mood stabilizer, an antipsychotic drug, and an antidepressant.
It may not be easy to determine which type of antidepressant is suitable for a person. The mental health provider identifies it after a complete assessment and consideration. However, it takes at least two weeks to notice the effectiveness of antidepressants.
Antidepressants are used to treat anxiety and depression and help people feel less depressed. Like any other drug, some individuals will experience side effects as a result of the medication.
Common side effects, depending on which medication is taken, include:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Anxiety
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Agitation
- Weight gain
- Dry mouth
Last Thoughts!
Depression is labelled as a mental disability because of the way it affects an individual’s life. This mental health condition negatively impacts every aspect of your life, including your performance at work, your relationship with others, and your functioning in daily life activities. A depressive person must know about the reasons why depression is considered a mental disability to understand the effects of this challenging mental health condition on mental health. However, stop worrying, as Brainpower Wellness Institute is one the leading mental health platform delivering the best treatment plans for depression. We have a team of competent mental health professionals with extensive knowledge about ways to get rid of depression. So, what is the wait for? Connect with the platform today and attain the benefits of adequate mental health services for depression.
