What Is Depression?

Depression isn’t just about feeling down or having a rough week. It’s something deeper, heavier. A mental health condition that doesn’t always announce itself loudly but slowly seeps into your thinking, your sleep, your appetite, and your ability to function.

Unfortunately, many people, especially those with “clinical depression,” confuse it with sadness. You must know that sadness comes and goes. You cry, you feel, and eventually, you begin to heal. But depression lingers. It doesn’t just affect your emotions, but it colors the way you see yourself and the world around you.

Losing interest in things and activities you once used to enjoy is the first sign of depression. Feel tired even after resting. Struggle to focus, or wonder if life will ever feel normal again. In some cases, there are even thoughts that life isn’t worth continuing. And these thoughts don’t just pop in and leave.

How Do You Know It’s Depression?

In actuality, depression can manifest itself differently in each individual. However, these are some indicators that frequently appear:

• You feel hopeless or numb most days
• You sleep too much or not enough
• You’ve lost your appetite or can’t stop eating
• You find yourself avoiding people or withdrawing from life
• You think about death or feel like a burden

These symptoms need to stick around for at least two weeks to be considered clinical depression, but even if you don’t “check every box,” your pain is still real. It’s not about proving you’re “sick enough.” It’s about listening to what your mind and body are trying to tell you.

Where Does It Come From?

There’s no single reason why someone experiences depression. Sometimes it’s triggered by a life event such as a breakup, loss, trauma, or stress and yes, most of the time by overthinking.

Other times, it comes without warning, linked to brain chemistry or genetics. Some people have high-functioning depression, where they show up to work and smile in photos but quietly suffer inside. Others visibly fall apart. Neither version is more nor less valid.

How Is Depression Treated?

Treatment does. And there’s no shame in needing help. Therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for example, is proven to help address negative thinking patterns and help change them. Saying things out loud you’ve kept buried. Letting someone trained in this work walk with you through it.

At Advent Counseling, we understand how complex depression can be. You don’t have to carry it alone or try to “fix it” overnight. And if you're also facing anxiety, which often walks hand-in-hand with depression, our online anxiety counseling in Woodstock offers a convenient, private way to start getting the support you deserve.

The Bottom Line

Depression isolates and that’s part of its power. But even if your mind tells you that you’re alone, or that nothing will change, there is a way forward. Healing doesn’t mean you’re never sad again. It means you begin to feel like yourself again, piece by piece.

If you’re struggling, talk to someone. Reach out. It could be the beginning of feeling light return where things once felt dark.