Understanding Depression Can Save Lives

Low Mood and Low Energy

It is completely normal for our bodies and minds to experience natural highs and lows. These can be influenced by seasons, hormones (yes, men also have fluctuating hormones, although this is not often spoken about), or the weather. They can also be situational—such as having a new baby, starting a new job, moving home, or facing work deadlines.

Low mood and low energy may come from being overly busy, thinking or worrying too much, or feeling overwhelmed. On the other hand, high mood can come from anticipation—such as an upcoming holiday, completing a task, or looking forward to something meaningful.

What is important here is understanding your own natural rhythms. Some people feel energised when busy and low when quiet; others feel the opposite. Some thrive on challenge, while others feel depleted by it. There is no right or wrong—only awareness.

Sadness

Sadness is the feeling of being unhappy. Happiness is a sense of contentment and pleasure; therefore, sadness is a lack of satisfaction, often accompanied by melancholy.

If you have low mood and low energy, ask yourself:

• Do I feel satisfied?
• Am I keeping up with daily life?
• Am I experiencing pleasure?

When someone feels melancholic, their thoughts often become negative or self-critical. Self-confidence, in many ways, is shaped by how we believe others perceive us. When sadness takes over, confidence drops, motivation weakens, and willpower fades. This, in turn, feeds back into low mood and low energy—creating a cycle.

This is similar to the negative thought cycle seen in anxiety, which is why depression and anxiety are often closely linked.

Hopelessness

Hopelessness often develops from prolonged low mood, sadness, and low self-confidence. It is important to remember that hopelessness is a feeling—not a fact. Feeling hopeless does not mean you are hopeless.

Hopelessness can feel like being stuck—trapped in darkness, boxed in, unable to move forward. It can feel permanent, as though you will never escape this “black box.” Understandably, this is an exhausting and frightening place to be.

Something I would like to emphasise regarding hopelessness comes from an epiphany I had through experiencing it myself, as well as learning from my mentors. There is no true hopelessness—the feeling exists, yes, but there are always ways to move forward.
When you feel hopeless, what is the one thing you tend to do?
You stop doing anything.

So, the counteraction is to do something—anything—no matter how small. I found that simply keeping going created space between me and negative thinking. The remarkable thing was that when I stayed busy and my mind was free from heaviness, I often gained insights into direction and possibility.

Depression Is Personal

Depression, like stress, is person- and situation-specific. No one else can fully understand why you feel the way you do, and no one can simply tell you how to “cheer up” or fix it.

Unfortunately—and also importantly—the only person who can truly change things is you.

Counsellors are often trained to notice excessive use of the word “I” in depressed clients. Depression tends to turn attention inward. Why? Because when someone is suffering, they are stuck inside their “box.”

In trauma counselling, supporters are taught to allow individuals to repeat themselves as much as needed. Repetition is part of processing. People experiencing depression often need time to understand their story before they can step outside it.

Opening the Box

So how do you open the black box? It starts with understanding:

• Where are you right now?
• What brought you here?
• What is maintaining this state?

Try not to let negative thoughts dominate. Stay as active as you can. Don’t give up. Identify activities—however small—that lift your mood. As mood improves, energy often follows.

Understand what changes might help you move forward. This could involve seeking professional help, changing jobs, reducing workload, creating better balance, or addressing something specific in your life that contributes to your depression.

This process takes time. Progress is rarely immediate. Keep going even when results are not visible straight away.

Finally, do not expect—expectation often leads to disappointment.
Instead, appreciate what you receive.
When appreciation grows, so does the capacity to receive more.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

If you’d like a safe, non-judgemental space to talk, I offer a free 30-minute discovery call.

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