Perfect Storms: Why Everyone is Vulnerable to Clinical Depression , and what to do about it

By Jeff Williams, Supervising Professional Clinical Counselor*

Did you see the movie A Perfect Storm? If you did, you know that an otherwise sturdy commercial fishing boat and experienced crew was overcome (capsized and drowned) by a powerful combination of conditions that produced unprecedented weather conditions. It’s a tragic story that leaves the viewer unsettled because it seems that if that experienced crew and sturdy vessel could be overcome, then anyone could.

The same is true in each of our lives. If one could create the perfect combination of disappointments, discouragements and disillusioning experiences for a person’s life they will be hard-pressed to avoid a bout of clinical depression. Place anyone in an emotionally and psychologically overwhelming situation, and they are vulnerable to be overcome; to be capsized and left adrift in a stormy sea fighting to stay afloat.

Clinical Counselors look for three D’s when person says that they have been feeling depressed. These are questions you can ask yourself, your friends, employees, etc.

1. Disappointments – What has happened recently that disappointed you?
2. Discouragements – What has felt discouraging to you recently?
3. Disillusionments - What did you think was going to happen, but didn’t?

Answers to these questions provide clues to what a person has been experiencing and how they have been experiencing it. Now, how have these experiences affected them? Are they having difficulty functioning in their primary life roles? For adults this usually means as an employee at work and for youth it is usually as a student, at school.

What to do when D’s are discovered and functioning is compromised?
Forty percent of Americans will experience an episode of clinical depression at some point during their lifetime. Symptoms range from mild to severe and are usually debilitating to some extent as evidenced by compromised functioning at work, at school and/or at home. Symptoms include the following:

• Loss of interest in normal daily activities
• Feeling sad or down
• Feeling hopeless
• Crying spells for no apparent reason
• Problems sleeping
• Trouble focusing or concentrating
• Difficulty making decisions
• Unintentional weight gain or loss
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Being easily annoyed
• Feeling fatigued or weak
• Feeling worthless
• Loss of interest in sex
• Thoughts of suicide or suicidal behavior
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

Treatment options include talking therapy and medication. Sometimes both are necessary to alleviate symptoms.

If you or a loved one is experiencing the symptoms described above seek a professional’s perspective. It doesn’t mean that you are spiritually weak or sinful. You might just be responding very reasonably to overwhelming conditions.

I’ve chosen to write this first blog on the most common mental and emotional condition experienced by the general population. The bad news is that it is so prevalent. The good news is that good treatments exist and aren’t all that difficult to arrange.

Interested in exploring options or scheduling an appointment? Give us a call or write: 937.717.5591, or write, info@graceandtruthrelationship.com, or visit our website. 

* Jeffrey J. Williams is licensed as a Supervising Professional Clinical Counselor, E-000398 – SUPV (State of Ohio), license verification, https://license.ohio.gov/Lookup/SearchDetail.asp?ContactIdnt=3606566&DivisionIdnt=97&Type=L