If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or wish to cause yourself harm, please call 911 or seek help from a trusted one immediately.
What is Depression?
Depressive disorder, commonly known as depression, is a mental health condition characterized by prolonged periods of intense low moods. Unlike the typical fluctuations in mood that everyone experiences in their daily lives, depression is more severe and persistent. An individual who occasionally feels low does not automatically have depression. Experiencing sadness and distress is a normal part of life; however, when these feelings persist to the point where they disrupt daily functioning and quality life, it may indicate the presence of a depressive disorder.
Types of Depression
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Despite depression serving as an umbrella term for a wide variety of mental health conditions, most people use the terms ‘depression’ and ‘MDD’ interchangeably. As the most common form of depression, MDD can be diagnosed after a two-week period of intense feelings of sadness and low mood. These symptoms are often accompanied by a loss of interest in activities you previously enjoyed and a change in sleep patterns and/or appetite. Other known symptoms include intense feelings of guilt and worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD)
Persistent depressive disorder is a milder form of depression that lasts at least two years. Symptoms are similar to MDD, but are typically less severe.
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
DMDD typically appears in children, causing intense, chronic irritability and outbursts. Symptoms tend to appear around the age of 10.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
PMDD is often described as a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). While PMS may bring on unwanted emotions or irritability, individuals with PMDD typically experience extreme mood swings, anxiety, and depression in the week or so leading up to their period. Although these symptoms usually improve within the first few days of your period, it’s still important to seek counselling and support.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD or Seasonal Depression)
Seasonal depression features many of the symptoms seen in MDD. While MDD can occur at any time, individuals with SAD only experience depressive symptoms during the fall and winter seasons.
Prenatal Depression and Postpartum Depression
Prenatal and postpartum depression are defined by new depressive symptoms during pregnancy or in the year following childbirth.
Atypical Depression
Atypical depression shares many similar features to MDD with a few unique symptoms including temporary improvement to one’s mood in response to positive events, increased appetite, and emotional pain because of a failure or feeling rejected.
What Causes Depression?
While the exact cause of depression remains unknown, many health experts agree that depressive disorders are often a result of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. It is frequently noted that individuals with depression may experience some type of impaired mood regulation in their brains. Hormonal fluctuations are also considered potential triggers for depression, particularly in instances of pre and postnatal depression, as pregnancy significantly impacts hormone levels. Additionally, depressive disorders tend to be more prevalent among those with a familial history of the condition, suggesting a possible genetic or hereditary component.
Depressive disorders are more common in those with other mental health conditions like anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Depression is also more common in those who have suffered through a serious or chronic illness like cancer, stroke, chronic pain, or heart disease.
Environmental factors play a huge role in your mental wellbeing and can greatly contribute to your risk of developing a depressive disorder. Individuals who endure traumatic experiences, such as abuse, the loss of a loved one, financial difficulties, and relationship problems, may find themselves at greater risk. Traumatic events can also encompass experiences related to residential schools and the effects of colonization. Indigenous communities experience higher rates of depression, particularly among survivors of residential schools and the Sixties’ Scoop. Intergenerational trauma emerges as the suffering faced by these survivors impacts their families, putting their relatives at an increased risk for depressive disorders. It is crucial to recognize that what happened to these survivors was not their fault, and they should not be blamed for the trauma they did not choose. As a society, our responsibility is to ensure that everyone affected by trauma and intergenerational trauma receives the support they need and deserve.
While identifying the exact root of your depression is not always possible or easy, working to understand yourself and what triggers your depression is an important step towards recovery. Recovery can be slow and is not always linear. It’s important to lean on your support network, use the resources available to you, and try to be patient with yourself.
The Impacts of Depression on 2SLGBTQIA+ Indigenous People
2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, etc.) Indigenous individuals face both racism and discrimination, in addition to bias related to their gender identity and sexual orientation. 2SLGBTQIA+ Indigenous people have experienced severe erasure of their existence by colonial institutions and history books. Two-Spirit individuals have a rich history across the various Indigenous nations on Turtle Island. The discrimination and external pressures faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ Indigenous people makes this community more susceptible to mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
Cultural practices and ceremonies may not serve as effective mental health support for all Indigiqueer, Two-Spirit, and LGBTQ+ individuals. In some cases, these spaces can harbour homophobia and transphobia, exacerbating mental health issues. If you are seeking cultural or ceremonial support, it can be beneficial to connect with an Elder or Knowledge Keeper who is dedicated to creating safe environments for Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Engaging with other self-identified Indigiqueer, Two-Spirit, and LGBTQ+ community members can help you identify accepting Elders and discover avenues for accessing culturally relevant and traditional supports. Additionally, it is empowering to know that there are practices and ceremonies we can engage in independently, such as smudging, or spending time in nature through walks, cedar baths, hunting, and making tea.
How Depression Impacts Each Aspect of Your Being
- Emotional
- Feeling sad, tearful, empty, or hopeless
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration
- Anxiety, agitation, restlessness
- Fixation on past-failures and self-blame
- Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or suicide
- Mental
- Brain fog
- Trouble concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things
- Loss of interests or pleasure
- Slow thinking, speaking, or body movements
- Spiritual
- Trouble connecting with your spirituality
- Feeling disconnected from the world
- Physical
- Loss of sleep, insomnia, sleeping too much
- Tiredness and lack of energy
- Reduced appetite and weight loss, or increased cravings and weight gain
- Unexplained physical problems, like back pains or headaches