If you think depression is all about feeling unhappy, then you are in for a big shock. Depression affects individuals in different ways and can bring about a wide variety of symptoms. That’s why you need to understand how to explain depression, especially when looking forward to helping a friend. For many people living with depression, it is all about understanding them. That said, here are two things people with depression may want you to know.

One May Not Understand the Cause of Depression

When you spend time interacting with individuals battling depression, you will notice that some of them do not even understand why they’re feeling that way. Of course, it is easy to assume depression is caused by an event in someone’s life especially when you’ve not had to deal with it before. However, this is not really the case since there doesn’t always have to be a reason as to why someone is depressed.

You ought to remember that depression is a mental illness. For this reason, you may find yourself feeling low and having a bad day even when there is no need for that. No wonder you should always try as much as possible to understand depressed individuals.

Depression and Sadness are Two Different Things

Some people tend to think that depression and sadness are all but the same thing. However, these two are totally different. For once, depression is a normal emotion and may occur whenever something bad happens. Depression, on the other hand, is a persistent sadness and can last for weeks, months or even years. Worse, depression may end up changing your personality, interests and how you see the future.

The Bottom Line

These are just but some of the things depressed individuals may want you to know. At no time should you make assumptions as it might end up escalating the issue even further. If a loved one is battling depression, then it is in your best interest that you offer them a helping hand. The good news is that you will never run of options whenever you want to help a depressed person.