If you’re suffering from depression, it can be one of the loneliest and most helpless things you can experience. It feels like a wasteland of despair and sadness, and sometimes we don’t even know why it’s happening to us. But you are not alone.
Perhaps there is a chemical imbalance like we see with Bipolar Disorder. Maybe there was a recent traumatic event, like the death of a parent, that’s sending you down an emotional rabbit hole. Or you hate your job and the circumstances of your life have become intolerable as a result. Often we are attached to the way things should be, or a certain outcome to be had, and when it doesn’t materialize as we believe it should, we suffer. Life, when not measuring up to our real or imagined expectations, can be a total buzzkill.
“Am I Depressed?”
Above are just a few of the many potential root causes of depression, but it helps to remember that it is a highly unique and personal experience. Many people suffer from depression at one time or another, but it doesn’t always look the same. Two people might be diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, but it will show up in each of their lives in completely different ways. So it’s important that the treatment be specifically for you.
When it comes to depression, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is to be our own advocate. Have a genuine curiosity about yourself, how you function in particular, and why you function that way. Root for yourself, and want what’s best for you. Learn to be attracted to what is best for you. Be your own best friend, and create the best possible support system for you. These things can take time and patience. It’s worth it, and you are not alone.
In fact, there is an ever-growing network of support for people with depression. Public figures and role models are becoming more open about their mental health journey, and that is so important! In recent years Jim Carrey has stepped to the fore and begun speaking publicly about his depression. Many people know him as an over the top, bigger than life character, but that is in fact not him at all. He is a deep and eloquent man, and he’s a wonderful leader.
Here is one of Jim Carrey’s very poignant thoughts on depression:
“People talk about depression all the time. The difference between depression and sadness is sadness is just from happenstance—whatever happened or didn’t happen for you, or, you know, grief, or whatever it is. And depression is your body saying f*ck you, I don’t want to be this character anymore, I don’t want to hold up this avatar that you’ve created in the world. It’s too much for me. You should think of the word ‘depressed’ as ‘deep rest.’ Deep Rest. Your body needs to be depressed. It needs deep rest from the character that you’ve been trying to play.” (1)
For as pervasive as the depression struggle is, it’s so heartening that folks with a platform from which to amplify their message are doing so. Thank you, Jim. We need you.
“I Think I Am Depressed”
If you believe you may be suffering from depression, please don’t take any part of this article as medical advice. Please don’t torture yourself with too much Googling, and don’t just let yourself be depressed because Jim Carrey said you need deep rest.
Instead, be your own best friend, and advocate for that best friend of yours by getting some professional help. Maintain curiosity about your best friend’s mental health, and check in regularly to make sure the plan is working. One more time for those in the back: You are not alone.