8 Sources of Depression (and 8 Possible Antidotes)

Depression can be a bear to deal with. Heaviness; bleak thoughts; and lack of energy, interest or motivation can conspire to make you feel like you need to push a giant boulder up a hill just to find relief.

[It’s] helpful to be aware of some of the possible sources of your depression; knowing how to alleviate symptoms can help you better manage it. The following list of depression sources and possible antidotes is a starting point.

Source: Disowned Anger

For some people, anger is a dangerous emotion based on unconscious beliefs or experience of harmful expressions of anger passed down in the family. If you push down your anger, it can turn and cause a depressive response.

Antidote: Bring more attention to [your anger]. Examine how anger was expressed in your family. How do you react to anger?

Source: Being Cut Off from Emotions

If you are disconnected from your feelings, you are cut off from a major part of who you are. Feelings make you human and alive.

Antidote: Start a conversation about your feelings. What feelings are you in touch with? Which ones are you not?

Source: Learned

If either of your parents experienced depression, you may have adopted depression as a way to feel connected with them, leading to an unconscious impression that this is how you need to be in the world.

Antidote: If either of your parents experienced depression, reflect on how that impressed on you. Do you believe depression is an essential part of being human? Are you afraid to NOT be depressed because you might feel less connected to a parent?

Source: Chemical

In some cases, depression is primarily a chemical issue. There may be an emotional component if you traced the depression back in your family lineage, but sometimes the emotional component can change the brain chemically in ways that are then passed down between the generations, even as the emotional component or cause recedes.

Antidote: If your depression is debilitating, it is a good idea to consult with a psychiatrist. Medication, particularly when paired with psychotherapy, can sometimes lift the veil of depression enough to do the emotional work that can shift the tides.

Source: Misalignment of the Self

If you grew up in an environment where you didn’t receive proper emotional holding and reflection, you may need help getting in touch with your true self.

Antidote: Finding a good therapist who can help you explore the holes and emptiness may allow you to grieve past experiences, perhaps going back to childhood, and begin to discover who you really are.

Source: Difficulty Self-Regulating

Depression may be your psyche’s solution to difficulty regulating an aroused nervous system. Perhaps due to trauma or an absent parent, you may not have learned to regulate (calm) yourself properly.

Antidote: Try a meditation practice and inquire about your ability to regulate. Is it hard to calm yourself? If so, working with a trained therapist can help.

Source: Existential Angst

It can be difficult being human. Having an awareness of all the suffering in the world is hard, as is the fact we all must face death. If you tend to focus on these existential issues and sobering realities, depression can result.

Antidote: Speak to a therapist about your concerns. It may be that your mind kicks up these things as a way to avoid your vulnerabilities.

Source: Pervasive Anxiety

Depression can be a way for your psyche to manage deep anxieties.

Antidote: Explore your thought patterns with a qualified therapist. Consider whether depression is operating as a buffer against more disturbing, anxious feelings.

© Copyright 2016 GoodTherapy; By Ben Ringler, MFT, GoodTherapy.org Topic Expert Contributor.  

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