5 habits that reinforce depression

Depression is a psychological disorder that feeds on many of the actions carried out by the person with this disorder. And it is that its symptoms lead us to fall into a vicious circle from which it is difficult to get out; hence, in the face of this psychopathology, it is essential to have professional psychotherapeutic support.

In this article we will see what are the habits that reinforce depression and what you should avoid if you think you suffer from this mood disorder.

• Related article: "Major Depression: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment"

What is depression?

Major depression, or clinical depression, is one of the most widespread and frequent psychopathologies among the general population, affecting around 5% of people worldwide. It is also one of the most disabling in its severe versions, and is associated with the danger of ending one's life, since one of its characteristic symptoms is suicidal ideation.

However, beyond depression as it is described and defined in the diagnostic manuals used in psychiatry, there is a whole series of depressive-type symptoms that we can present in certain phases of life, even if they are not so serious as to constitute depression clinic. And it is that depression is not a clearly delimited psychological alteration; We can all move closer or further away from it, it is partly a matter of degrees of intensity of discomfort and dysfunctional behavior patterns.

Some of the characteristic symptoms of depression are as follows (although keep in mind that this disorder can only be diagnosed by mental health professionals):

• Persistent feeling of hopelessness and pessimism about what the future holds.
• Affective flattening: we feel little, and the little we feel hurts us.
• Uncontrollable crying spells, even without us knowing how to identify their cause.
• We find it difficult to enjoy everything that we used to like.
• Constant fatigue that has no justification in the physical effort we have made.
• Disinterest in social relationships grows, we tend to isolate ourselves socially in our free time.
• In the most severe cases, recurrent suicidal ideation appears.

On the other hand, depression is not something that arises within us and affects us in a one-way fashion. We can also participate in its maintenance or in its weakening, as we will see in the next section.

5 habits and routines that fuel depression

If you notice that you may have developed depression or that you are showing symptoms associated with it, keep these habits in mind that reinforce depression to avoid them in your day-to-day life, as they can contribute to this psychopathology being consolidated in you.

1. Neglecting your own hygiene

One of the factors that reinforce depression more quickly is the fact of ignoring self-care and body hygiene routines: not showering, not combing hair, not changing clothes, etc.

This makes the person feel even worse in a few days due to the physical sensations produced by dirt.: itchy skin, bad odor that deconcentrates, tendency to sneeze due to the accumulation of dust in the hair and face... and of course, avoiding social interactions outside the home "so they don't see me So".

It is a dynamic in which people with depression fall without realizing it, because they repeatedly put off the decision to wash and take care of themselves in general, assuming it is a waste of time.

The living conditions fostered by this, based on the management of physical discomfort and social isolation, are a breeding ground for the development and consolidation of depressive disorders.

• You may be interested in: "The 6 types of mood disorders"

2. Locking in the room all day or not getting out of bed

This type of lifestyle characterized by an extreme sedentary lifestyle not only damages your physical health, but also affects your mental health, making it easier for depression to gain strength. The lack of sources of motivation and external stimuli is one of the factors that strengthen this mood disorder, and the passivity produced by depression is in turn a psychological aspect that allows it to perpetuate itself, leading you to fall into a vicious circle.

That is why one of the most effective procedures against depression used in psychotherapy is what is known as behavioral activation, and it consists of helping the patient to learn to “force himself” to perform activities that lead him to interact with the environment physically, instead of limiting himself to actions of the type introspective. In this way, their emotional state is influenced through observable actions.

3. Tendency to sleep little

Because of the disorganized lifestyle favored by depression (and in part, because of the anxiety that many of those who develop this disorder end up suffering), many depressed people end up sleeping little.

This causes them to have serious concentration difficulties and lack of energy, so It is more difficult for them to adopt a healthy lifestyle and carry out the goals set in the psychotherapy program and, in addition, that physical wear and tear will contribute to maintaining emotional disturbance since the nervous system will not be able to repair itself well.

Therefore, it is important to set a very clear schedule and establish the necessary routines so that When it is time to go to bed, it is possible to do so, instead of being tempted to postpone it.

4. Using work as a refuge to escape

As we have seen, depression is characterized by passivity. However, this is compatible with using work as an excuse not to think, a way to escape and feeling nothing but the urge to reach a certain productivity goal in a matter of minutes or hours.

Not all people with depression do this (in the most severe cases, they lack sufficient energy to carry it out), but these cases are not rare, and never contribute to the recovery of the person. In fact, this kind of "binge work" produces emotional instability that can lead the person to develop an anxious-depressive picture.

5. Staying in bed a long time after waking up

It has been observed that, in people with depression, the moment of waking up is usually one of the moments of the day in which the symptoms of this disorder suffer the most intensity.

This is why many people choose to stay in bed, because they feel they need to deal with those emotions. However, in most cases this does not help, and only serves to establish a dysfunctional routine that helps depression to perpetuate itself through observable actions like that.

Are you looking for professional psychological assistance?

If you are going through a difficult time in your life and experience persistent emotional distress, We invite you to get in touch with our team of psychotherapy professionals.

In our psychology center located in Madrid (Ciudad Lineal) we offer coverage to all areas of mental health, serving adults, children and adolescents. We can also help you through the online therapy format via video call.