Are you having a “growth moment?” Or is this clinical depression?
Everyone has ups and downs: It’s part of the human experience. Furthermore, as a therapist and coach, I strongly believe that challenging times are the greatest life teachers we’ll ever have. When we’re living out of alignment with our core values, or when our needs are not getting met (either by ourselves, or others) it creates pain.
And, believe it or not, feeling that emotional pain is actually a positive thing, when you’re able to harness that dissatisfaction and turn it into life changing motivation. Dissatisfaction is the engine of growth. Nothing changes for people when they are comfy. (And why should it?) People are only motivated to do hard things and take action when they feel like they must. In that sense, feeling the pain of “the gap” between what you have and what you want is tremendously positive, and an opportunity rather than a problem.
However, clinical depression is different. Depression has nothing to do with your circumstances, or feeling dissatisfied with your life. Biologically based clinical depression is an organic brain disease that people have little control over. And when depression is active, it changes everything: from how you think, to how you feel, to what you do.
The good news is that depression is a treatable illness. But the first step in conquering depression is learning how to recognize it, as well as educating yourself around the best practices in it’s treatment.
On this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast I’m talking about how to tell the difference between a “growth moment” and “depression.” Then we’ll talk about what to do to help yourself or a loved one, if “the black dog” of depression is getting too powerful.
I hope that this helps you and / or someone you care about get back on the path of health and happiness.
Sincerely,
Lisa Marie Bobby