Not long ago, a massive storm system blew through the area where I live leaving thousands of people without power for days. Although my family is extremely lucky to have a whole house generator running, many of my friends and family are living in homes that have no energy source and they have no idea when their power will be restored.
They wake up every morning in the dark and can't turn on a light. They have no power to make coffee. They can't enjoy a hot shower or a cooked breakfast. None of their appliances work. It's cold and dim and dreary and just getting ready for the day and out the door is a major feat.
Living without electrical power is a lot like living with depression. In many people who suffer from depression, the neurotransmitters that power the brain and the rest of the body are not at the levels they need to be in order for them to function as society expects. Dopamine, for instance, powers motivation, pleasure and learning. If you are a highly motivated person who takes pleasure in life and learns easily, you have healthy dopamine levels. Be grateful! There are millions of people who don't. For many of these people, just taking a shower and getting ready for a day of life without pleasure is a very difficult task. They struggle to retain information and remember things. They are often labeled lazy and irresponsible or criticized for their appearance and attitude.
Serotonin is another extremely important neurotransmitter in the brain. Serotonin works to help regulate moods, emotions, digestion, sex drive, perception of pain and has a whole host of other important tasks. If you have fairly stable moods, are a positive person, have good digestion, a healthy sex drive and tolerate pain well, it's not because you're a great person (although you probably are a great person!), it's because you have healthy serotonin levels. Be grateful! There are millions of people who don't. Many of these people suffer from a constant "bad mood" or sometimes an erratically high "good mood" that causes them to make poor decisions. Many struggle from problems with intimacy with their partners. Many have financial issues. Many suffer chronic pain in their bodies. Some lose the motivation and energy to live and attempt suicide.
Tragically, many, many people who are depressed seek to self-power or self-medicate themselves with drugs and/or alcohol, which gives them some temporary relief and motivation, but leaves their brains more deprived than ever. They inevitably find themselves with more mental issues, health issues, financial issues and relationship issues. But before we judge them, we should remember that these are not bad people, they are people who lack power and are desperately trying to generate some, just like the people standing in line at Lowe's after a power outage trying to buy whatever kind of generator they can find.
Fortunately, there are many different ways depressed people can EMPOWER themselves. A healthy diet helps. Exercise helps. Cognitive therapy and counseling help. Having a structured routine helps. Being around other people helps. But if these things are not enough to empower depressed people to live happy, productive, rewarding lives, there are many medications and other medical treatments that will do the job.
If you are a person who is struggling with depression, please seek help. You do not deserve to live a life deprived of motivation, comfort and joy! It may take time to find the treatments that will work for you, but the treatments are out there. And if you lack the motivation or focus to find them, ask someone to help you find them! It's hard to be patient with the side effects and the whole process, but please keep trying. Light and joy and motivation and passion are out there and you deserve to have these things just as much as all the people who are biologically luckier.
If you are lucky enough to be a mentally healthy and balanced person, please be patient and compassionate with those people you find difficult, moody, lazy, and negative. Try to remember that they are living in a constant power outage. Everything that comes fairly easily to you is much harder for them.
Depression is not a character flaw, it's a natural disaster. People living with it need encouragement, community resources and access to good mental health care. But what they need most of all is understanding.
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