Similar to how stress and anxiety seem interchangeable but are vastly different, sadness and depression are not equal.
Feeling sad or anxious is a normal part of life. However, if these feelings persist and affect your daily life, you may be dealing with clinical depression. Read on to learn more about what it is and how it impacts you.
What is clinical depression?
Clinical depression, also known as major depressive disorder, is a severe mood disorder that negatively affects how you think, feel, and act. It has commonly been attributed to an imbalance in the brain chemistry and serotonin system. However, recent research has found that the explanation might be more complex.
Some factors that play a role in influencing depression are genetic history, hormone levels, substance use, and environmental factors like trauma.
Different individuals experience this condition differently. However, there are several common symptoms you should look out for, including:
If these symptoms last longer than two weeks, it would be a good idea to seek professional help.
How does clinical depression impact you?
Clinical depression can affect every aspect of your life, from your sleeping patterns to your career and relationships. Therefore, if left untreated, it can create complications in your personal and professional life.
For example, you may experience a loss of energy, leading to lower productivity and increased mistakes at work. An inability to focus, coupled with sleep disturbances, can also pose safety risks at work if you are tasked to operate machinery or work in a hazardous setting.
Another common challenge individuals with depression face is memory loss and slower reaction time. This forgetfulness and lack of coordination may also affect your work performance and ability to maintain interpersonal relationships.
Moreover, clinical depression can affect your physical health, especially because several factors (such as physical inactivity) that influence depression are risk factors for health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory diseases.
When you experience depression, your heart rate and blood pressure may rise, causing your blood vessels to tighten. On top of this, you may experience higher stress levels, leading an increase in stress hormones like cortisol. These factors push your body into a prolonged state of emergency that puts you at higher risk of heart disease.
Additionally, clinical depression has been found to affect your immune system. This is likely due to the symptoms of the condition, such as increased stress, inability to sleep, loss of appetite, and social isolation, which weaken the body and your immune system’s ability to fight illnesses.
Conclusion
Depression is a condition that can significantly affect your professional and personal life. Therefore, if you suspect that you may be experiencing depression, it is crucial that you seek professional help like therapy.
If you are seeking private counselling online in Singapore, check out Executive Counselling. We provide individual counselling sessions. We also offer career counselling for professionals, infidelity counselling, and marriage counselling.
Our professional counsellors are here to support you.
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When my friend Frans Grimbergen found out in 2010 that both of his parents had died after being struck by a car in the Netherlands, he had no idea the ensuing grief would eventually nudge him into a new career.
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