By Jason Thompson
Why am I depressed? Shouldn’t I be able to just “snap” out of it?
No, you can’t just snap out of it and here is a little basic science to help you understand why not. You’ve heard over and over that depression is either your own fault for not sucking it up and moving on or it’s a chemical imbalance. There are factors too numerous to count that may be contributing to a persons depression and no two people suffer for the same reasons. Your genetic makeup, the way you were born, plays a significant role in your susceptibility or resistance to depression. Your experiences both physical and emotional from childhood to present have an impact as well. The way you think about and perceive your situation also contribute the length and depth of depression. It’s also possible that the neurons that produce or receive the feel good chemicals are atrophied or not working properly.
For these and other reasons just snapping out of it is really not an option. The road to feeling better is likely a combination of time, allowing the brain to grow or repair the receptors for those feel good chemicals and growth to produce more of the chemicals (neurotransmitters). Changing your environment can be helpful in giving you a new perspective. Rethinking the way you look at your situation can literally physically change the brain and its chemical production. Your diet may also impact your mood. Too much or too little physical activity is another major factor in mental health. There is a lot of healing that needs to happen both physically and emotionally. There is no one size fits all solution so it’s best to seek professional help in tailoring a path to feeling better. Don’t beat yourself up if it takes time, it’s normal that it’s taking time.
Why am I depressed? Shouldn’t I be able to just “snap” out of it?
No, you can’t just snap out of it and here is a little basic science to help you understand why not. You’ve heard over and over that depression is either your own fault for not sucking it up and moving on or it’s a chemical imbalance. There are factors too numerous to count that may be contributing to a persons depression and no two people suffer for the same reasons. Your genetic makeup, the way you were born, plays a significant role in your susceptibility or resistance to depression. Your experiences both physical and emotional from childhood to present have an impact as well. The way you think about and perceive your situation also contribute the length and depth of depression. It’s also possible that the neurons that produce or receive the feel good chemicals are atrophied or not working properly.
For these and other reasons just snapping out of it is really not an option. The road to feeling better is likely a combination of time, allowing the brain to grow or repair the receptors for those feel good chemicals and growth to produce more of the chemicals (neurotransmitters). Changing your environment can be helpful in giving you a new perspective. Rethinking the way you look at your situation can literally physically change the brain and its chemical production. Your diet may also impact your mood. Too much or too little physical activity is another major factor in mental health. There is a lot of healing that needs to happen both physically and emotionally. There is no one size fits all solution so it’s best to seek professional help in tailoring a path to feeling better. Don’t beat yourself up if it takes time, it’s normal that it’s taking time.