Normal sadness can grows into a painful state of hopelessness, lack of motivation and fatigue. It can vary from mild to severe. When depression is mild, you find yourself brooding on your own negative aspects or those of others. You may feel resentful, irritable or angry much of the time, feeling sorry for yourself, and feeling that you need reassurance from someone. You may suffer various physical complaints that do not seem to be caused by any physical illness.
However, as depression worsens, feelings of extreme sadness and hopelessness combine with low self-esteem, guilt, and memory and concentration difficulties to bring about a severely painful state of mind.
How will mindfulness practice help me?
- It will help you understand what depression is
- It will help you discover what makes you vulnerable to downward mood spirals, and why you get stuck at the bottom of the spiral
- It will help you see the connection between downward spirals, or feelings that we are simply “not good enough”
- You will recognize you negative thinking patterns
- It helps you identify your unhealthy coping pattern