The Silent Thief

Depression is a silent thief that robs you of your joy, happiness and peace.  If left untreated it becomes a silent killer. Destroying relationships, careers, dreams, and eventually the host.

Each year, 30,000 lose their life to suicide. Depression is the equivalent to a virus invading the body. Toxic thoughts that dim the light of hope and mental well-being.

The stigma is that a person can snap themselves out of it; they must have done something to deserve the overwhelming feelings and are lazy. This disease or disorder doesn’t just affect the person, but those in proximity become collateral damage.

The medical terminology describes depression as a chemical imbalance, a mood disorder that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and act. Research suggest it’s a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors.  It is believed that serotonin imbalance leads to depression.

This super neuro transmitter involves brain function regarding, appetite, sleep, memory, learning, temperature regulation and some social behavior, which explains while in a depressive state, we tend to sleep less or more, eat less or more and are socially uninvolved or inappropriate in our interactions with others.  The medical solution to this deficit is anti-depressants which include common medications such as: Zoloft, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Prozac and Paxil, just to name a few.

The holistic approach is better nutrition, meditation, exercise, spiritual cleansing. Coming to terms with your mental fragile state and vulnerabilities, finding the strength to tap into your inner will to live and not just exist.

If you are coping and battling depression, there is hope in seeking help, finding methods of healing and recovering that work best for you.  Ending your life is not the answer. It only transfers your pain to the ones you leave behind with the dreadful memory of you giving up.  The national life line is 1-800-273-talk or 1-800-273-8255.

Sources: National Institute of Mental Health, WebMD and personal experience.