Does this sound familiar? It’s time to get out of bed, but the alarm is screaming at you, and even the idea of stepping onto the ground seems utterly impossible. You’re not simply tired; you’re “done.” All you can think about is staying under the covers, ignoring the numerous pings coming from your phone, and letting the rest of the world revolve without you for a while.
This might be quite natural when taken in small doses. Life never stops, and between the pressures of your job, the difficulties in managing your interpersonal relationships, and the ever-present noise of modern-day technology, your body and mind need to take some time off.
The issue is that we live in a society where everything revolves around “the grind.” We are often raised to believe that not working constantly is somehow wrong. You are either productive and doing something useful, or you are labeled as “lazy.” You either have goals you are actively chasing, or people assume you are making excuses for yourself. Under this kind of constant social pressure, many people begin believing something deeply damaging — that they are lazy when, in reality, they may be struggling with their mental well-being.
Depression is perhaps one of the most misunderstood conditions there are. It does not always present itself as somebody crying in their bedroom. At times, it can be a neat house and a smiley face with zero energy from within; other times, it could be a messy kitchen and unwashed hair after days of no shower.If you’ve been feeling sorry for yourself because of your lack of “willpower,” now is the time to realize that there could be a deeper problem going on. Here are the top six reasons why you might just be dealing with depression.
1. Depression doesn’t have an “on” switch
When you are depressed, a lack of motivation is not your preference to just sit in comfort because you have become paralyzed both physically and mentally. You are sitting on your sofa looking at piles of laundry you wish to fold but you are disgusted by its presence, however, you feel your limbs weigh about a ton.
All the advice, productivity tips, motivational quotes and color coded to-do lists become irrelevant when someone is dealing with a legitimate medical condition where they cannot find any motivation or willingness to do anything. In fact, all those tips only add an unnecessary feeling of guilt to an already difficult situation. As stated on National Institute of Mental Health, depression is a condition which changes the way the human brain works especially the function related to the secretion of neurotransmitters, which make people feel reward and motivation.
If you want to move but you literally feel like you can’t, that isn’t a lack of discipline. It’s a symptom.
2. Nothing really makes you feel better
Normally, if someone is simply feeling “lazy” or just having a bad day, certain things can still improve their mood. The smell of their favorite meal, watching a comforting movie, or spending time with a close friend can usually help brighten their day. Even during difficult moments, there is often a sense that things will eventually get better.One of the defining characteristics of depression, however, is the lack of that relief.
What makes depression so painful is that the emotional heaviness often remains no matter what a person tries to do. They may go for a walk, eat their favorite food, spend time with loved ones, or sleep for hours, yet still wake up feeling just as emotionally exhausted and weighed down as before.
This is usually expressed in terms of a lack of emotions. Being “sad” does not mean that you feel bad like other people do – you are simply “blank.” That means that you feel no connection with yourself, as if you are watching someone else’s life behind a misty window. This can make it even more annoying when everyone around you thinks that you are lazy because of how you sit around doing nothing.
3. You’ve lost interest in almost everything
Think about what it used to be that would make you forget about everything else. Whether it was painting, playing video games, gardening, or getting absorbed in a good book.
