What are you feeling? Depressed or perhaps just “down”?

I need to make some things clear.  I use the word “depression” a lot. That’s because that’s one of the focuses of this blog

However, remember that depression has to meet certain criteria to be called depression.

 I hear people use the word “depression” far too easily They have a few bad days and they label it as depression.

 We shouldn’t diminish a serious condition that many people battle by referring to “being depressed” when what we really are is just “down”.

THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FEELING BLUE FOR A FEW DAYS AND EXPERIENCING FULL BLOWN CLINICAL DEPRESSION. THE WORDS WE USE MUST BE ACCURATE.

I have not referred to my moods once in these past fifteen years as depression. I say I’m feeling a little down or if it goes on for a few days I will say I’m going through a rough patch. Remember, I know what it feels like to be clinically depressed (meaning needing some outside intervention) and while I have been anxious, fearful, worried, “down”, I have not been depressed these last fifteen years and I’m careful to make that distinction.

For one thing, if you label yourself as depressed you might actually end up there if you keep using the word “depression”. A couple of weeks ago, I had some very “low mood” days for almost a week. It was while we were at the cabin and it is highly unusual for me to be anything but happy when I’m there. I have to be honest, I was afraid. I was worried I might be heading down that dark path of depression after so many years.

About a week prior, I had had to take my husband to the Emergency Room and he had to spend the night. Because he’s had open heart surgery, that’s the first place hospital staff go in their thinking, it must be his heart. As it turned out, he was fine. It might have just been heat, exhaustion, and dehydration.

I had handled it really well.

Or so I thought.

But I think it bothered me a lot more than I realized. And that’s where satan inserted his malevolence. Plus, I had not been sleeping well either. The one thing I’ve learned is that three or four days of not sleeping well is very bad for me. I had not put all this together so I was particularly vulnerable. I got through those few days but it reminded me that I’m never that far away from the pit.

During that week, I was reminded of how awful depression is and why I started this blog. I want my followers to know I understand. Not because of head knowledge, but because of heart knowledge.

If you are reading this blog and you are going through depression now (meaning a medical professional has diagnosed it as such), take hope. This is a totally treatable and manageable illness. It might take a while, depending on your course of treatment before you get better, but:

I’ve been there.

YOU WILL GET BETTER.

And if you’re simply having some bad days,

watch how you describe it.

The words we use have a powerful impact on our mental well-being. We hear ourselves speak them, they enter our mind and they reinforce how we’re feeling, so try not to refer to yourself as depressed. Think of a different word, a more accurate word.

Winter is hard for some people, especially those who suffer from low moods or depression. There are various reasons cited:

• Sunshine is limited.
•  It’s cold.
• We don’t get out as much.

I hope this post helped you differentiate between a few bad days and a serious case of depression. Remember, depression is serious and won’t just go away after a few bad days. A low mood will.

God bless you today.

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