"Depression is insidious. For people suffering from depression, joy is elusive. Depression is not only a general feeling of sadness or being down and out. It is a serious condition and needs attention. People suffering from depression cannot just get over it and move on. They need support, healing, and to discover the epicenter of their pain."
"One of the most tragic aspects of depression is suffering in silence. Lack of connection and social isolation are major factors in depression. The pain areas in the brain for social isolation are triggered just as they are when people experience physical pain. Pain is activated and represented in the brain for both social and physical pain without any distinction."
"When an individual suffers from depression, it is masked, manifests from the great abyss, and may be hidden from us. Thus, the person suffers alone. But when we see an individual with a physical ailment like a broken leg, we have a natural protective and generalized way to empathize."
Depression is a serious, debilitating condition affecting approximately 6.7 percent of the US population, with 63 percent experiencing major life disruption. Social isolation and lack of connection significantly contribute to depression, as the brain processes social pain identically to physical pain. However, depression remains hidden and masked, unlike visible physical ailments, causing sufferers to endure isolation without adequate empathy or support. Recent research reveals elevated depression rates among graduate students at approximately six times the national average. Connection and creative expression emerge as critical recovery practices. The condition requires comprehensive support and healing rather than dismissal as temporary sadness.
#depression-and-mental-health #social-isolation-and-connection #intelligence-and-mental-health #depression-recovery-and-support
Read at Psychology Today
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