Many people do not understand depression, assuming it is just random bouts of sadness and crying. Unless someone has suffered through their own struggle with depression, it is near-impossible for them to truly understand how debilitating it can be to live with that diagnosis.
One of the hardest parts of explaining depression is that it is neither rational nor is it predictable. It is hard to provide relatable examples because the feelings connected with depression would feel wildly irrational to anyone not experiencing them at that moment. It is also impossible to predict or predetermine depression because it often comes unexpectedly in waves.
Therefore, instead of providing a chart with relatable examples, the chart I devised shows the increasing intensity of this mental illness. My hope is that the statements provided at each level, combined with the descriptions included, will help those who have never struggled with depression understand how our frame of mind is magnified as our condition worsens.
It is also important to note that depression is not all sadness and hopelessness. Instead of providing a chart listing levels 1-9, I have split this chart in half. There is a 1-4N to designate worsening stages of numbness and a 1-4D to describe stages of downward spiral. This chart is extremely simplified, yet illustrates how, as depression worsens, the intensity of the condition increases. However, unlike conditions like anxiety that worsen in one direction, depression can and does frequently occur in both the realms of numbness and hopelessness to varying extents.
Top Comments
Wow, you described it very well (but you forgot to mention low libido which is related to dopamine i guess), are you a psychologist? What i realized for me is that having many pets helps vanish the loneliness (i don't think i have true friends that i have contact with other than my pets), sleeping on a warm bed and keeping myself warm (i feel sad whenever i feel cold, i can feel unsatisfied when i'm warm too though if i haven't eaten my snacks) and eating lots of snacks (pizzas etc) until i'm very full (but i need to go for a walk everyday otherwise it feels like insulin resistance or something is building up). Doesn't this sound like dopamine deficiency, because drinking alcohol can make me initially feel good (dopamine boost) and then the day after i'm worse (colder, more tired etc; dopamine crash)? I tried different serotonin drugs like prozac etc, none of them helps, they make it even a little worse after a couple of days because i started feeling even colder and number, getting eczema, diarrhea etc. Now i feel ok with simply being with my pets, keeping myself warm, eating lots of snacks, going for walks and avoiding excessive negative thinking.
Thank you for this article and especially for the drawings! I thought I knew a bit about depression, but this swaying between numbness and feeling down is completely new to me. I thought there was a swing between feeling down and feeling (more or less) upbeat, and – maybe parallel – between numbness and more normal emotions. This gives me quite a new perspective.
I would have liked if you had included some tips for people. Of course, the main thing is to accept you as you are, with your illness/handicap called depression, and you did a good job bringing that home. But I’m sure you could also tell us what kinds of actions help you and which don’t.