How Clinical Depression Interferes with the Normal Thought Process
Please Do Not Use This Article in the Place of a Doctor's Diagnosis
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, many people with depression do not get medical help - because they do not think that they have depression. Others close to them may clearly see that they suffer from depression but there's not much they can do when the person refuses to get help, because they are convinced that their problems are due to something else and not by depression.
Clinical depression (also called major depression) radiaclly changes a person's thought process in several ways. They are unable to make decisions, engage in all-or-nothing thinking and may believe firmly that suicide is the only option open to them.
Inability to Make Decisions
Someone in the grips of depression will have great difficultly making any decision, no matter how small. They often find it easier to make no decision at all or will ask someone else to make the decision for them. This is partially because they may believe that they are incapable of making a good choice or that no matter what they do, life conspires against them.
Part of this inability to make decisions is because the person is feeling very tired. Depression often saps a person of energy, so that concentration or clear thinking is very difficult. People with depression may even let others make very important decisions for them just because the sooner the choice is made, the sooner they can go lie down.
Exaggerated Thinking
Even when a depressed person is finally cornered into making a decision, they often do not realise that there are numerous options available. They often can only see two choices open to them - or even less than that. This is sometimes called "all or nothing" or "black and white" thinking. Depression has a way of coloring all past memories so that the person thinks that everything they do will somehow be a mistake. They will say things like, "I always mess everything up."
They will not be able to recall times when they did the right thing. Even if someone points out to them times when they did make a good decision, a person with depression will either argue or refuse to believe it.
"Everyone Is Laughing At Me"
People with depression often experience a sense of persecution. This may be because someone did actually bully them or argue with them, but this one person suddenly becomes every other member of the human race. People with depression often feel as if they are somehow on center stage all of the time. This is another reason why they feel so tired all of the time. If someone is always watching them, then they can never let ehri guard down and truly relax.
Trying to point out to a person suffering fro depression that not everyone is laughing at them rarely is effective. The person will find this news unbelieveable and may wonder if this is a new form of insult or cruel taunt.
Suicidal Thoughts
Because they feel like such total failures, do not get pleasure out of life and are so incredibly tired, most people with depression do become suicidal. This manifests in subtle ways as in refusing to go on a diet and eat only junk food or as blatantly as wondering aloud if they would be better off dead. Sometimes the thought of death becomes a real comfort, because suicide is the one thing they feel they have control over.
Suicidal thoughts may increase when a person just begins a new medication such as an anti-depressant. Anyone starting a new psychiatric medication needs to have a docor, friend or trusted family member check in every day to be sure the patient isn't contemplating suicide. That person then needs to contact a doctor immediately, even over the patient's objections.
Additional References
"Depression For Dummies." Laura L. Smith, PhD & Charles H. Elliot, PhD. Wiley Publishing; 2003.
"Peace of Body, Peace of Mind." Rose VanSickle. PLJ Unlimited; 1996.
Students Against Depression. "All-or-Nothing Thinking." http://www.studentdepression.org/all_or_nothing_thinking.php
Psychology Today. "Depression Doing the Thinking." Hara Estroff Marano. July 1, 2001. http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/depression-doing-the-thinking
Author's personal experience
Clinical depression (also called major depression) radiaclly changes a person's thought process in several ways. They are unable to make decisions, engage in all-or-nothing thinking and may believe firmly that suicide is the only option open to them.
Inability to Make Decisions
Someone in the grips of depression will have great difficultly making any decision, no matter how small. They often find it easier to make no decision at all or will ask someone else to make the decision for them. This is partially because they may believe that they are incapable of making a good choice or that no matter what they do, life conspires against them.
Part of this inability to make decisions is because the person is feeling very tired. Depression often saps a person of energy, so that concentration or clear thinking is very difficult. People with depression may even let others make very important decisions for them just because the sooner the choice is made, the sooner they can go lie down.
Exaggerated Thinking
Even when a depressed person is finally cornered into making a decision, they often do not realise that there are numerous options available. They often can only see two choices open to them - or even less than that. This is sometimes called "all or nothing" or "black and white" thinking. Depression has a way of coloring all past memories so that the person thinks that everything they do will somehow be a mistake. They will say things like, "I always mess everything up."
They will not be able to recall times when they did the right thing. Even if someone points out to them times when they did make a good decision, a person with depression will either argue or refuse to believe it.
"Everyone Is Laughing At Me"
People with depression often experience a sense of persecution. This may be because someone did actually bully them or argue with them, but this one person suddenly becomes every other member of the human race. People with depression often feel as if they are somehow on center stage all of the time. This is another reason why they feel so tired all of the time. If someone is always watching them, then they can never let ehri guard down and truly relax.
Trying to point out to a person suffering fro depression that not everyone is laughing at them rarely is effective. The person will find this news unbelieveable and may wonder if this is a new form of insult or cruel taunt.
Suicidal Thoughts
Because they feel like such total failures, do not get pleasure out of life and are so incredibly tired, most people with depression do become suicidal. This manifests in subtle ways as in refusing to go on a diet and eat only junk food or as blatantly as wondering aloud if they would be better off dead. Sometimes the thought of death becomes a real comfort, because suicide is the one thing they feel they have control over.
Suicidal thoughts may increase when a person just begins a new medication such as an anti-depressant. Anyone starting a new psychiatric medication needs to have a docor, friend or trusted family member check in every day to be sure the patient isn't contemplating suicide. That person then needs to contact a doctor immediately, even over the patient's objections.
Additional References
"Depression For Dummies." Laura L. Smith, PhD & Charles H. Elliot, PhD. Wiley Publishing; 2003.
"Peace of Body, Peace of Mind." Rose VanSickle. PLJ Unlimited; 1996.
Students Against Depression. "All-or-Nothing Thinking." http://www.studentdepression.org/all_or_nothing_thinking.php
Psychology Today. "Depression Doing the Thinking." Hara Estroff Marano. July 1, 2001. http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/depression-doing-the-thinking
Author's personal experience
Published by Rena Sherwood - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Rena Sherwood is a freelance writer and Peter Gabriel fan who has lived both in America and England. She has studied animals most of her life through a synthesis of direct observation and insatiable reading.... View profile
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