What is crippling depression? How does it impact your daily life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crippling depression is another term for clinical depression, a debilitating illness that can severely impact your life. It can cause persistent feelings of sadness, problems at work, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, and difficulty concentrating. At worst, it can lead to suicide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep reading to find out the causes of crippling depression and some helpful tips for coping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Often, the experience of depression is described as being “crippling,” because it can make even the simplest of tasks extremely difficult and can impair your ability to live a normal life. Although it might feel hopeless, there are things that can help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The causes of crippling depression\u2014and depression in general\u2014have long been debated. Likely, any given person\u2019s depression might be caused by a combination of the factors described below: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u201cmedical model\u201d of mental illness is the idea that a serotonin imbalance in the brain causes symptoms of depression and anxiety, with no influence from the outside environment. Serotonin is one of several chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters<\/em>, which are chemical messengers that relay information from one cell to another. In the medical model, serotonin is the chemical that makes us feel happy, and people get depressed when their brains don\u2019t produce enough serotonin on their own. Through this lens, depression is a medical disease that pops up randomly, much like cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, that story is only half-true: Depression isn\u2019t about willpower or laziness (and is certainly not a choice), but the debilitating effects of depression are not the result of a simple \u201cchemical imbalance.\u201d<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are some very real biological factors at play in the development of crippling depression and its effects on the body: namely, neuroplasticity and genetics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Neuroplasticity<\/a> is your brain\u2019s ability to change its structure in response to the environment. Each part of the brain works a bit like a muscle\u2014the more you use it, the bigger and stronger it gets.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that, for most people, depression creates<\/em> changes in the brain<\/strong>\u2014not the other way around.Social, psychological, and environmental disconnections deprive the emotion centers of the brain of the experiences they need to make us feel happy; if those disconnections persist, that unhappiness grows into depression, which makes it even more<\/em> difficult to establish those beneficial connections and ultimately results in further changes in the emotion centers of the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news is, neuroplasticity also means that depression isn\u2019t a static state, <\/strong>because no one is born with a brain that is fundamentally, structurally depressed. If brains can change to become depressed, they can also change back to not<\/em> being depressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Studies show that depression is roughly 37% inherited,<\/strong> meaning genetics are<\/em> a big piece of the mental illness puzzle. However, they\u2019re not the biggest piece: Roughly 63% of the basis for depression comes from somewhere outside<\/em> of biology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As such, if you\u2019re suffering from depression, it might be due to your genetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Johann Hari, author of Lost Connections<\/em>, the sheer number of people taking medications for mental health hints at a deeper issue: If depression is a purely biological illness caused by a random malfunction in the brain, how is it that so many people\u2019s brains are going biologically haywire at the same time? As it turns out, depression is not just about your biology. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, most scientists talk about depression and other mental illnesses using the arguably more accurate biopsychosocial model<\/strong>, or the idea that mental illness is caused by a combination of three factors: biology (\u201cbio\u201d), psychological history (\u201cpsycho\u201d), and social environment (\u201csocial\u201d). In other words, biology is only part<\/em> of the problem\u2014which means a drug that treats biological factors can only be part<\/em> of the solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As well as biological factors, it’s also thought depression could be the result of psychological factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cognitive model<\/strong> proposes that dysfunctional thinking is common to all psychological disturbances<\/strong>. In this way, mental illnesses, including crippling depression and anxiety may be considered thinking disorders<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The patient has automatic dysfunctional self-talk that influences behavior negatively; the behavior is then interpreted in a negatively biased way, leading to worse thinking. This reinforces itself into a vicious cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another potential cause of depression is past trauma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Childhood trauma is one of the most reliable predictors of adult depression according to the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. The study\u2019s results show that people who had experienced ACEs were more likely to suffer health problems, including depression,<\/strong> and the more ACEs you have, the more likely you are to experience depression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Social factors might also cause depression. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Losing the ability to imagine and plan for the future due to financial instability can contribute to crippling depression. The rise of the \u201cgig economy\u201d means that stable, guaranteed employment is no longer the norm<\/strong>. More people than ever are working for hourly wages with no contract and no guarantee that they\u2019ll still have a job next week, let alone next year. Without that security, it becomes impossible to picture the future\u2014and easy to get depressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another factor that can cause depression is disconnection from meaningful relationships<\/a> with other people.<\/strong> The reason why this causes depression is rooted deep in human evolutionary history: Millions of years ago, the only way for early humans to avoid becoming a tasty snack for a predator was to band together into tribes. People who felt miserably depressed when they wandered off on their own were more motivated to stick with the tribe, so they were more likely than loners to survive long enough to pass on their genes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, humans are more socially isolated than ever before. Studies show that most American adults have zero<\/em> close confidants. Living with other people or in a big city doesn\u2019t change that because solving loneliness isn\u2019t just about gaining physical proximity to others: It\u2019s about developing a mutually meaningful <\/em>connection with someone else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some scientists think that crippling depression is a stress response from our evolutionary history, linked to a feeling of low social status. Researchers discovered this effect by studying the social hierarchies of baboons. For male baboons, in particular, competition for the top spots is brutal. To avoid being ripped apart, low-status baboons make themselves as non-threatening as possible by lowering themselves physically as a way to say, \u201cYou win. Please don\u2019t hurt me.\u201d Their posture and behavior mimic those of severely depressed people. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Common life hardships like financial insecurity, lack of control over your daily life, and fractured relationships can make us feel that we\u2019re \u201cworse\u201d or lower-status than other people. So, we react with the same submission response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is something psychologist Jordan Peterson looks at in his book 12 Rules for Life.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2011 and 2012, a Gallup poll showed that only 13% of adults are \u201centhusiastic about and committed to\u201d their work. The three main reasons for this are a lack of control over the job, low professional status, and a disconnect between effort and reward (for example, if working harder doesn\u2019t translate to more money or status). <\/p>\n\n\n\n This can be a big contributor towards experiencing depression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, work hours are expanding\u2014the \u201cnine to five\u201d is now more of a \u201cseven to seven\u201d\u2014which means that many people spend the majority of their time working a job they don\u2019t like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many people persevere in a depressing job because it pays well. That\u2019s an example of extrinsic motivation\u2014doing something just as a means to an end. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation<\/a> <\/strong>is what drives you<\/a> to do things purely for the joy of them. Studies show that achieving intrinsic goals increases happiness, but achieving extrinsic goals doesn\u2019t<\/strong>.<\/em><\/strong> <\/strong>In fact, over time, it does the opposite: Dozens of studies from all over the world show that the more extrinsically motivated<\/a> you are, the more likely you are to develop crippling depression and anxiety.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Social media can be harmful to mental health. Scholars have noted that social media and excess screen time are highly correlated with depression, anxiety, and self-harm among young people. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Social media provides you with a window into the lives of everyone in your peer group. More than ever before everyone can see what their friends are up to at any given moment, which has negative consequences for emotional well-being<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of us live in cities, far from the natural world. When we\u2019re disconnected from the natural world in this way, we often become caught up in our own problems and lose sight of the greater sense of meaning in our lives. In a sense, humans living in dense cities are similar to unhappy wild animals in captivity, and we\u2019re similarly distressed: Rates of all forms of mental illness, including depression, are higher in cities than in rural areas, and people in urban areas with more green space (like parks) have better mental health than people in urban areas without access to green space. Scientists have three theories to explain this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we\u2019ve seen, there is strong scientific evidence for social and environmental causes of depression, like unfulfilling work, separation from nature, and a lack of control over your working life. All of this evidence points to one thing: If biology isn\u2019t the only problem causing depression, then medication shouldn\u2019t be the only solution to it<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dealing with crippling depression isn\u2019t easy, but here are some science-backed coping techniques that can help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re suffering from depression, on some days you might not have the energy to focus on getting better\u2014and that\u2019s ok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On particularly bad days, you could have a set routine you follow, focus on rest, and look after yourself. Here are some things you might include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main thing is to try and not put yourself under any pressure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although medication shouldn\u2019t be the only line of treatment, it\u2019s worth considering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most notable proponents of antidepressants is Dr. Peter Kramer, whose book Listening to Prozac<\/a><\/em> is one of the best-selling books on antidepressants ever written. Kramer argues that antidepressants can be helpful for certain people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a practicing psychiatrist, Kramer has personally witnessed that those with severe or crippling depression made incredible recoveries on antidepressants. He concedes that the effects might not be as strong for moderately depressed people.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNeuroplasticity <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Genetics <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The Biosocial Model<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Psychological Causes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Negative Thought Patterns<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Past Trauma<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Social Causes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Financial Problems<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Loneliness<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Low Social Status<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Unrewarding Work<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Disconnection From Intrinsic Motivation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Social Media <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Disconnection From Nature<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Tips for Coping With Crippling Depression<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Have a Plan for Bad Days<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2. Take Medication<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n