4 ways passivity leads to depression

Depression is a very common mood disorder, since there are many different factors that can cause it to appear in people.

In this psychopathology, genetic predispositions and experiences are mixed that are as varied as life itself, that is, practically infinite. Hence, it is so complex and difficult to understand, because it can affect people with apparently very different lives, and even with clearly distant socioeconomic status.

However, thanks to decades of research, we now know that there are a number of experiences that are more likely than others to lead to depression. Here we are going to focus on a series of behavior patterns capable of increasing the chances of suffering from depression and that can be included within the concept of passivity.

• Related article: "The 6 types of mood disorders"

This is how passivity predisposes us to depression

It should be clear that it is impossible to predict who will develop depression and who will not. Each person is a world, and History is full of examples in which we see how the less privileged overlap relatively well. in the face of catastrophic events, and of members of the economic elite with seemingly perfect lives who nevertheless feel very miserable.

But beyond this fact, it cannot be ignored that there is evidence about habits, attitudes and ways of life that lead us towards this psychological disorder, at least from the point of view of statistics and probabilities. For example, we know that this is what happens with various patterns of behavior associated with passivity (physical and psychological). They are as follows.

1. Neglecting the sleep schedule

Not worrying about keeping a certain control over the number of hours we sleep and when is the time when we go to bed is usually expensive. Even if we do not realize it, after a few days living like that, our mental agility decreases a lot, so we have a harder time concentrating and we are worse reasoning (at least, as long as we do not get adequate sleep for several days followed).

But it is also known that beyond the wear and tear it produces on our cognitive abilities, the lack of quality sleep makes us more vulnerable to depression. This could be because Through the physical wear and tear that it generates in our nervous system, our brain is more exposed to inflammatory processes, which are known to be one of the biological causes of depression.

• You may be interested in: "10 basic principles for good sleep hygiene"

2. The qualms when asking for help

For many people, the idea of ​​asking for help from loved ones or members of the close social circle is almost impossible to conceive. This is what happens with those who consider that the default way of life is to be a fully human being autonomous, who only resorts to asking for the support of others in extreme situations... and by dint of not doing so never, by the time it is time to be vulnerable so that others can lend a hand, it is already an action that breaks too much with the "comfort zone".

In this sense, moving forward without realizing that certain challenges are not made to be faced without Having help is a passive attitude, although paradoxically it usually leads to physical and / or psychological termination exhausted. And with this deterioration of health, the cracks appear through which the most frequent psychological disorders, such as depression, can slip.

In fact, there are scientific hypotheses that seek the evolutionary utility of depression and according to which it is psychopathology could be a way of having the collaboration and help of others in an unconscious and hint. If, for whatever reason, we are unwilling to openly acknowledge our limitations, the processes biological and unconscious of our body would do it for us... although of course, sometimes this mechanism would fail, activating at times when it cannot be of help and when it is itself an added problem, as sometimes happens with anxiety, for example.

It is a logic taken to the extreme of what usually happens when we cry near people who know us; do not forget that the most basic action that we usually associate with sadness and hopelessness, shed a few tears, it is probably a mechanism that emerged to communicate to others that we are not well.

3. Light hobbies typical of a sedentary lifestyle

Hobbies linked to a sedentary lifestyle, such as spending long times on the couch watching television, are also associated with an increased risk of developing depression.

This may be due to the lack of meaningful stimuli they offer, combined with the absence of challenging challenges to focus on: who is limited to seeing what the television channels broadcast or observes what others post on the networks social media only consumes content already finished, which does not lend itself to participate in them in any way. way.

4. Tendency to isolate

Social isolation, the lack of a habit of reaching out to others to interact face-to-face with them, also seems to increase the chances of experiencing depression. This may be due to both a greater predisposition to live in an unhealthy way (lack of hygiene, poor diet, use of legal or illegal drugs, etc.) because there are fewer incentives to maintain a good image and / or a healthy living environment.

It may also simply be due to a lack of stimulating or novel experiences.. If we are always alone, it is more likely that we always end up living the same type of experiences, and always doing the same, until a point comes when we no longer expect anything good from the future. And from what is known, depression is supported by a vicious circle in which we settle into a way of life marked by the lack of stimuli and by our inability to “connect” emotionally with projects that in other circumstances would have interested us or even excited.

For this reason, many forms of psychotherapy are based on helping the person to re-actively engage in activities stimulants, however simple at first, to gradually gain "inertia" and regain the ability to to enjoy.

Looking for professional help for depression or low mood?

If you think you are suffering symptoms of depression or you feel bad because in your day to day you experience a downcast state of mind, we suggest that you get in touch with our team of professionals. On Psychomaster We have many years of experience offering psychotherapy to people of all ages, and today in addition to attend in person at our facilities in Madrid, we also perform online therapy through platforms of video call. To see more information about our psychology center and the contact details of Psicomaster, go to this page.

Bibliographic references:

• Hagen, E.H. (2003). The bargaining model of depression. In P. Hammerstein (Ed.), Dahlem workshop report. Genetic and cultural evolution of cooperation (p. 95–123). MIT Press.
• Huang, Y.; Li, L.; Gan, Y.; Wang, C.; Jiang, H.; Chaos.; Light. (2020). Sedentary behaviors and risk of depression: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Translational Psychiatry, 10:26.
• Nesse, R.M. (2000). Is Depression an Adaptation?. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57 (1): pp. 14 - 20.
• Oettingen, G.; Mayer, D. & Portnow, S. (2016). Pleasure Now, Pain Later: Positive Fantasies About the Future Predict Symptoms of Depression. Psychological Science, 27 (3): pp: 345-53.