Many, many of my clients ask me at some point, “Am I depressed?” What I find most often is the case, is that they are emotionally suppressed.
When we look at the signs/symptoms of depression and suppression, it is understandable that we would confuse the two. Some of the signs are common to both conditions.
Signs of Depression:
Feelings of hopelessness/helplessness
Loss of interest in daily activities
Change in appetite/weight
Sleep changes – insomnia or oversleeping
Agitation or anger
Loss of energy
Self-loathing
Reckless behaviour
Lack of focus
Unexplained aches and pains
If you suffer from these symptoms on a daily basis and have for more than several weeks, it is time to see your health care professional. A licensed physician or psychiatrist/psychologist will give you a depression screening and suggest doable treatments.
If you could have worked your way out of depression, you would have by now, getting help is the only way through.
Suppression:
It takes much energy to keep our true thoughts and feelings under wraps. If we have habitually put them aside, over years we are very likely suffering the consequences of that effort.
Common Side Effects of Long-Term Emotional Suppression:
Loss of interest in formerly fun activities
Lack of desire to be creative or create fun activities
Trouble Sleeping
Relationship conflicts
Lack of commitment
Constant fatigue
Bouts of strong, sometimes seemingly inappropriate display of emotions – Much like trying to keep a beach ball submerged under water, eventually emotions will discharge and more than likely at an inappropriate time in an inappropriate way.
Isolation – When face and body language don’t match our true emotions, it causes us to appear distrustful. Others pick up the disconnect in the energy and the body signals and become confused, causing them to be less likely to engage in relations with us. And of course, because of the generalized malaise we are experiencing, we are less likely to engage in social interaction.
Unfortunately, we are not ‘schooled’ in how to handle our emotions. Going through our lives not being able to properly express our ‘normal’ human emotions robs us of an enjoyable life.
Part Two: Where's Your Wild Child?
Registration Deadline Midnight September 15th!
Finding Your What Now Creating the Next Years of Your Life
Finding Your What Now Creating the Next Years of Your Life
Jennifer Washington Certified Martha Beck Life Coach
What Now Life Coaching
www.whatnowlifecoaching.com
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