Sadness is a normal part of human existence, but that doesn’t make it any easier. A ton of things in everyday life can lead to sadness: loss, hopelessness, disappointment, guilt, shame. Sometimes it doesn’t take as much – you may be sad simply because it’s a rainy day when you hoped you’d see some sunshine.
That said, sadness is just one part of the human emotional spectrum, and is ultimately a good thing in a backwards sense. After all, it is the bad times’ existence that allows us to appreciate the good times in the first place.
Sometimes, sadness goes above and beyond the normal levels. If your sadness is especially intense or long-lasting, you may instead be suffering from clinical depression.
Depression
Depression, also known as clinical depression or major depressive disorder, is a mental health condition accompanied by intense sadness, lack of interest in things you used to enjoy, and social isolation. One in three people will suffer from a major depressive episode at some point in their life.
Symptoms of Depression
Physical signs and symptoms of depression include the following:
• Loss of appetite and excessive change in weight
• Loss of interest in pleasurable activities and hobbies
• Lack of energy and fatigue
• Changes in sleep patterns, either sleeping too much or too little
• Slowed thinking and speaking
Psychological symptoms of depression include the following:
• Chronic feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or helplessness
• Difficulty making decisions
• Consistent self-critical thoughts or guilt
• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
How To Stop Depression
Social Support Net
Depression is an incredibly socially isolating condition. It can make a person feel completely alone and makes you lose any sense of objective perspective on your own life. This condition gets in the way of your personal relationships and tries to make you withdraw from everything.
As overwhelming as it may be at first, an extremely important part of the road to recovery is reaching out for support. That support can come in many forms: friends, family, a support group, therapists, etc.
Spend Some Time On Yourself
Sure, this one seems pretty obvious. But in the middle of a depressive episode, it can be difficult to find anything that you really enjoy. Even old hobbies might not be fun to you anymore. Take some time to care just about yourself – self-care and engaging in your hobbies can be very therapeutic.
Support Your Health
Mental health and physical health are closely tied to one another. For good mental health, make sure to support your physical health: get around eight hours of sleep a night, eat a well-balanced diet, and get regular physical activity.
Ketamine Treatment for Depression
Research indicates that ketamine treats depressive disorders by binding to certain receptors in the brain, increasing the amount of the neurotransmitter glutamate being released. This then sets off a chain reaction that affects thinking and emotional regulation.
This means, in layman’s terms, that the brain reacts to ketamine infusions in a way that triggers hormones that help the brain create more positive emotions. Unlike other treatments, ketamine can provide this relief within hours or days of the first infusion, although it is most successful as a series of infusions. Contact us today at Exodus Heath to find out if a ketamine treatment is right for you.
