Sorrow is to be expected. Despair can’t be denied. Life is far too complicated to ever experience simple happiness — you know this, understand that there will be days that don’t satisfy, hours that trouble. All suffer from occasional discontentment or discomfort. This is the way of things and it’s known to be true.
Such truth leads you to ignore your own worries therefore. You think nothing of the overwhelming dejection. You refuse to acknowledge the pain. It’s common, you’re sure. Everyone experiences it; everyone feels this way. There’s nothing to do but merely… wait. This will pass.
It won’t.
Depression is not to be confused with the typical sadness, the occasional worries — and yet too often do individuals believe themselves to be suffering from nothing more than the proverbial blues. They assume that their feelings are normal and that they will eventually fade away. Such an assumption can lead to a lack of treatment and a worsening of depression, however; and this can be dangerous.
Depression is not a momentary illness. It will not simply disappear. It is instead a persistent — and complete — sense of despair. Those who suffer from it are defined by chemical imbalances; and these cause a prolonged sadness (which can last for months, or even years, at a time). This cannot be considered normal.
Instead individuals must be able to recognize the differences between occasional dissatisfaction and genuine worry. The feelings will be far worse; the longevity will be far more distressing; and there will be no lull in the illness. It will instead remain — causing endless complications.
Do not mistake depression for lesser concerns. Do not think it to be common. You must instead be able to distinguish the disease from others and understand its severity. This is not proof of rainy day worries. This is instead a tragic — and frightening — disability. It must be offered treatment and care; and this can’t be accomplished if you dismiss it as just an expectation.
