If you experience loss, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage depression. At some point in a person’s life, they will experience losing a loved one because the only thing promised in this life is death. For those people, losing that loved one will be a traumatic event that leaves a lasting memory.
In some instances, people cannot focus on what they feel after losing a loved one because they are dealing with the logistics of planning a funeral and managing other household responsibilities.
Instead of asking questions such as “How do I work through my grief?,” people are often left asking questions such as, “Will auto insurance pay for the medical bills?”
Of course, the world keeps spinning after a loved one dies, and you still have to keep up with the bump and grind of the world. But if more people understood how easily grief could transform into depression, they would focus more on managing their distress before it becomes unmanageable.
By understanding the difference between depression and grief, one can learn to manage depression that may come after a loved one dies.
Taking a Deeper Dive into the Definition of Depression
Many assume that depression is a one-fits-all type of ordeal, but it actually can look like many things.
A simple definition of depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness. This mood disorder results in loss of various interests, and it hinders how you think, feel, and behave. If untreated, depression can lead to a multitude of both physical and emotional problems.
Those struggling with depression may grow uninterested and isolated from activities that usually bring them joy. The most commonly known feelings that depression bring are sadness, guilt, hopelessness, and fatigue, but other symptoms can present themselves such as:
- Paralyzing indecision
- Feeling unmotivated to fulfill work or social commitments
- Loss of sex drive
- Frequently crying
- Overwhelming feelings of attachment
- Fixation on death or thoughts of suicide
- Inability to concentrate or remember
- Unexplainable aches and pains, including headaches and stomachaches
- Feelings of fatigue and low energy
Despite lifestyle, sleep, and exercise changes being aids for depression, the National Institute of Mental Health claims that 6.7 percent of adults in the United States are affected by depression.
What is the difference between depression and grief?
People handle grief differently, and sometimes the symptoms are similar to depression, like withdrawing from friends and experiencing feelings of extreme sadness. Within depression therapy, you learn the importance of friendships and how it can prevent someone who is grieving from transitioning into depression.
Everyone goes through a different grieving process, which can sometimes make it challenging to identify symptoms that prove they are dealing with depression.
When you pay close attention to a symptom’s duration, the acceptance (or lack of acceptance) of support, and the person’s ability to function, you can get a better understanding of if a person is still grieving or depressed.
Here is a closer look at those three nuances:
Symptom Duration
Depression can stick around for a long time, so if you see that someone is ‘grieving’ for an extended amount of time, there are high chances it is depression.
Grief comes in waves, and there are times when the person feels acceptance over what has happened. However, if there are intense feelings of grief for an unusually long period of time, that may be a sign of depression.
Acceptance of Support
One of the significant signs that someone is dealing with depression is their desire to be isolated. They may even push loved ones further away.
In contrast, grieving people are more willing to accept support even though they prefer to avoid social outings.
Ability to Function
Dealing with grief is hard, but in most cases, people are still able to handle their responsibilities. They go to work and school and still function regularly in their roles.
Often when someone is depressed, they cannot even get out of bed and perform the normal daily tasks of life like commuting to work or cleaning the house.
Counseling in Southeastern Connecticut for Complicated Grief and to Manage Depression
As stated before, grief and depression happen to have similar symptoms. When complicated grief is at play, it may be challenging to identify that from depression. Grief overall is normal, and the feelings of sorrow and hope fluctuate in and out.
When grief is extended, and the symptoms are more heightened, it could mean someone you love is dealing with complicated grief. These symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of depression.
This is why counseling may be needed to manage depression. Someone who is not equipped in this area may not be able to differentiate between the two. Consider your options for counseling in Southeastern Connecticut if you feel you need professional help.
You could be struggling with complicated grief and your loved ones, understandably, assume you are depressed. Here are some symptoms associated with complicated grief:
- Lasting longing for your deceased loved one
- Difficulty accepting that your loved one is gone
- Long-lasting bitterness over the loss
- Difficulty remembering positive memories of your loved one
- Grieving that gets worse instead of better
- Trouble thinking about anything other than your loved one’s death
How do I get better?
There are five habits you should avoid when you feel emotionally unstable to help you manage depression, but speaking with a therapist is the most effective way to help you get better. Speaking with a counselor is most effective, but it is not the only route.
Some people are unable to attend counseling sessions, while others may just be too uncomfortable to go to a counselor. Here are some other ways that can help you feel a little better:
- Avoid isolating yourself and spending time with friends and family
- Try to always get seven to eight hours of sleep each night
- Include exercise into your routine. Walking around your neighborhood is good enough to raise your energy level
- Take part in a new and exciting activity like painting, reading, hiking, or cooking
- Join a support group. There are plenty of people in similar situations who could also lean on someone else
Attend Anxiety Counseling in East Lyme, Ct for Help
Grief and depression are the subjects at hand, but anxiety correlates directly to both. Many do not realize it, but losing a loved one and struggling with the grief of it all could result in extreme anxiety.
This anxiety can present itself as fear of death, fear of getting closer to people because you may lose them, or growing too weary or anxious when the deceased loved one is brought up.
Losing a loved one is nerve-wracking and can flip a person’s world upside down. So it is okay if you are not okay, but you have to know when to seek help. Anxiety counseling In East Lyme, Ct can be beneficial in the coping process after the death of a loved one.
Here are a few signs that can show you when it is time to get professional help:
- You feel guilty or blame yourself for your loved one’s death
- You have difficulty performing in your roles at home, work, or school
- You are feeling lost and purposeless
- You feel you should have died with your loved one or that your life is not worth living without them
Do not feel afraid to speak up about the symptoms you are experiencing. You are not alone, and there are plenty of kind-hearted individuals, including your friends and family, who are willing to help you.
Imani Francies writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, 4AutoInsuranceQuote.com. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media and specializes in various forms of media marketing.
