Below the Surface: Understanding Depression
Disclaimer: Note that all the information in this article should not be used as medical advice or as a self-diagnosis. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned in this article, consult with a parent, guardian, or professional therapist.
Think back to a time when you felt down—maybe you faced a tough situation, failed a test you studied all night for or were rejected by your crush after you asked her out. We all experience these situations, and it is natural for us to feel sad or even a bit gloomy.
Now, imagine that feeling lingering, not just for a brief moment, but stretching on for days on end. Even when you are enjoying something, there is a persistent sense of unease or doubt that hangs around in the background. It is more than just occasional sadness; there lies a deeper, more lasting feeling that seems to shadow you, no matter what’s happening around you.
Many try to boil down the concept of depression to merely feeling sad. However, this is an oversimplification of the issue and can be a damaging perspective for someone struggling with depression. Depressive disorder (aka depression) is, first and foremost, a medical condition characterized by the loss of pleasure or happiness in activities that once provided joy. It differs from other mood disorders and common emotions because it can lead to negative impacts on a person's life, relationships, and performance in aspects like academics and work.
A common explanation for the onset of depression is the imbalance of chemicals in the brain, with serotonin, a chemical messenger linked to depression, as the key factor. Serotonin is a hormone produced in the brainstem, which leads to a boost in mood.
However, contrary to popular belief, a lack of serotonin does not cause depression. In fact, a study by Sameer Jauhar, Philip Cowen, and Michael Browning found no clear link between serotonin and depression. The short answer is that depression is a complicated condition that researchers are still studying in depth. While scientists know that factors such as mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, and stressful life events can lead to a similar condition, pinpointing an exact cause remains difficult. Humans are complicated beings, and it is almost impossible to understand all the small chemical reactions that are happening simultaneously in our brains.
Another common misconception is that people suffering from depression are the ones who never smile, always exclude themselves from social interactions, and generally appear disinterested in their lives. This flawed deduction is based solely on perceptions of what depressed people look like. In the majority of cases, depression is often found in people that others assume to be “cheerful and optimistic," yet they only appear content with their lives to mask deep insecurities. Often, these thoughts are never fully addressed until it is too late.
Many of us may just want to brush these thoughts away and say that things will get better over time. Unfortunately, our lives will forever be plagued by struggles and hardships that arise every day. In many cases, leaving these thoughts pile up in your head will cause problems until it reach its breaking point. Therefore, it is crucial to address these struggles and seek support from others when needed. By acknowledging and confronting these issues early on, we can help ourselves and others throughout the rest of our lives.
Sources:
https://mhanational.org/conditions/depression
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/smiling-depression
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/what-causes-depression
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/chemical-imbalance-explain-depression
