Depression is a sickness that affects your spirit, soul, and body. It can also affect how you relate with families, friends, and colleagues. Sometimes you may not understand the emotions that you are feeling. Thus, you will begin to wonder, “why do I feel this way?” The truth is that if you can not itemize your feeling, then you may be dealing with either depression or confusion. If you are looking for ways to overcoming depression or seeking to answer the question, why do I feel this way; then, read keep on reading.
What is Depression?
Depression is a widespread disease, affecting millions of Christian or not. Those with it experience intense feelings of sadness, anger, hopelessness, and fatigue, along with various other symptoms. Sometimes they consider themselves so lamentable that they have suicidal thoughts and lose interest in those they once appreciated, as well as in their old interests. Depression is often caused by life circumstances, such as the loss of a job, the death of a loved one or a divorce, or by psychological problems related to addiction or low self-esteem.
The Bible calls us to be filled with joy and praise (Philippians 4:4; Romans 15:11). So God wants us all to live happy lives. It is not easy for someone who suffers from momentary depression. Still, it is possible through God’s gifts of prayer, Bible study and practice, support groups, fellowship, confession, forgiveness, and accompaniment. We must make a conscious effort not to lock ourselves in but to redirect our efforts outwards. Feelings of depression can often be overcome if the person concerned looks away from themselves to Christ and others.
Symptoms of Depression
To know if you have a major type of depression, you must be suffering from at least five of these symptoms:
- Your mood is depressed for most of the day and almost every day
- You’ve lost interest in activities that you normally like and are rewarded
- Your self-esteem is low
- You have feelings of guilt
- You feel fatigued and without energy all the time
- You have lost or gained weight
- You have insomnia at night or, on the contrary, sleeping excessively
- You’re having trouble concentrating and making decisions
- You’ve had any suicidal thoughts
- Your reactions and movements are more agitated and then slower
Types of Depression
There are different types of depression according to their symptoms. Some of the different types of depression can be resolved by taking certain drugs; others need prayers to leave, while some require visiting a psychologist. However, the truth is that some types of depression can hardly be overcome simply by sticking to only one means. Here are some types of depression;
Major depression: This is the most severe type of depression someone can face, usually during adolescence or young adulthood. When suffering from major depression, you can go through depressive episodes that can last for at least two weeks. This type of depression can also be recurrent or single episode depression.
Dysthymia: This is a type of depression that is less severe than major depression, even if it is much longer, and it interferes with your well-being and your normal functioning like any other depression.
Manic depression: Manic depression is also known as bipolar disorder. This type of depression is very different from the other types of depression. This is because it combines both depressive states with mania. Mania is another disorder characterized by moments of extreme euphoria, lack of judgment, obsession with some fixed idea, abnormal states of agitation, and delirium.
Seasonal depressive disorder (SAD): Most people feel this type of depression during a certain time of the year, usually winter.
Postpartum depression: This type of depression is triggered in women after giving birth and due to the changes they suffer after pregnancy, both physical and psychological. While women may suffer from this depression within the first three months after childbirth, its symptoms can appear up to 1 year later.
Why Do I Feel This Way?
Different reasons explain why you don’t know what you feel or what is happening to you inside. Sometimes this disconnect with your emotions can make you feel frustrated or disturbed by having a “void of feelings” without being aware that this is a way of feeling. Below are some of the reasons on why do I feel this way?
Emotion is in the process:
In the first moments when you begin to feel an emotion, it is not always easy to identify it. The physical reaction may be confused or may not be identified due to an emotional state. Sometimes the reaction is so unexpected that you don’t understand what’s going on.
You experience more than one emotion:
When two or more emotions emerge, they can be complicated to understand. This competition of emotions can lead to discomfort and confusion, not knowing what is happening inside you.
No verbal way to express your feeling:
Sometimes what you feel is a mixture of emotions you can’t name, either because you don’t know it or because there’s no way to call it, at least not in your language. In this case, it helps to separate your feelings into the basic emotions that make them up, to be able to understand them better.
What to do to connect with what I feel
The first thing you need to do to connect with your emotions is to be aware that they are present and let them emerge. And while this isn’t always easy, sometimes it’s as simple as breathing in and letting emotions flow. When this is complicated, meditation or mindfulness can help. Connecting with what you feel requires connecting with yourself. But of course, if you see that the situation has become very complicated, there is no problem in asking for help. Sometimes, all we need to reconnect with our feelings is the support of someone outside.
Overcoming Depression
Clinical depression is a disease that a doctor must diagnose. It is not necessarily due to life’s unfortunate circumstances, and our own will cannot overcome its symptoms. Furthermore, some Christian communities believe clinical depression is not always due to sin. At this point, it is important to note that it is not your sin, but it may sometimes be caused by a physical disorder that requires medical treatment or accompaniment.
Obviously, God can cure all diseases, but in some cases, consulting a doctor for depression is no different from consulting him for a physical injury. There are things that people with depression can do to overcome their anxiety. First, they must ensure that they dwell in the Word, even when they do not feel like it. Emotions can lead us astray, but God’s Word remains firm and unchanging.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you must maintain an ingrained faith in God and remain all the more firmly attached to Him when you are tried and tempted. The Bible tells us that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our strength (1 Corinthians 10:13). Depression is not a sin, but you are responsible for responding to this evil, including seeking professional help.
