What Is Depression?

Now, more than ever, people around the world are struggling to manage their emotions due to the changes in our everyday lives. It is natural to wrestle with significant mood changes when life becomes unpredictable. There is, however, an important distinction between our emotions, and depression.

It is important to distinguish clinical depression from the emotions of grief or sadness. Grieving is a normal part of life, and most individuals will experience the progression of those emotions at some point in their lives. Depression, however, is often not an emotion that the sufferer can work their way through in a natural progression.

Depression is a clinical mental health condition that many people battle with over their lifetime. 264 million people suffer from depression worldwide. The feelings associated with depression are commonly sadness, guilt, helplessness, lack of motivation, and more. Many individuals struggle with depression without recognizing the symptoms or seeking help.

Treatment

Because depression can look very different for each person, there is not one treatment that works for everyone. It is important that a person seeks the advice of a trusted medical professional if they believe that they are struggling with depression. Most individuals will need support while finding a solution that works for them in managing their symptoms.

Some helpful tips for managing depression alongside the advice of a medical professional are listed below. While these options are not suggested as treatments or cures, they can help to mitigate some of the highs and lows that are associated with depression.

• Find Support: Confide in close friends and family members.
• Stay Active: Choose activities to get your body moving that work for you.
• Be Realistic: Understand that your symptoms will not disappear overnight. Give yourself time to process and move through the different phases.
• Keep Learning: Continue to seek educational resources that you trust to stay as informed as possible about depression so that you can make the right choices for yourself.
• Get adjusted: Removing pressure from the nervous system can help regulate vital hormones that play a role in depression like oxytocin, cortisol, and neurotensin. Chiropractic adjustments have also been shown to lower blood pressure and help combat insomnia, which are both common symptoms of anxiety and depression. Many individuals struggling with depression choose chiropractic care because it is natural, drug-free, and often more cost-effective than traditional treatments.

Have questions? Our Kalamazoo Chiropractors are here to help. At Resilience Health Center in Kalamazoo, our goal is to educate our community on what it means to live a life of optimal health from a natural approach. That’s why our doctors give very gentle and specific adjustments to help restore your body to its ultimate potential. To book an appointment, call one of our team members at (269) 389-0345 or click here to schedule. We cannot wait to serve you!

National Institute of Mental Health, American Psychiatric Association, RTOR.org