Why don’t I feel well?
There are two types of pain that we can experience: physical or psychological suffering. In the first case, you go to see a doctor to find out what the problem is. Everything goes smoothly: you have back pain, the doctor palpates you, sees where the pain is, makes hypotheses and suggests further tests such as an X-ray or MRI. The cause is confirmed and treatment is applied. Of course, it’s not all that simple, but that’s nothing compared to the difficulty of treating psychological suffering 😔.
When we don’t feel well, it affects our morale. To distinguish between low spirits and depression, you need to know that the former is a temporary feeling of unease. We can feel low after difficult events such as a failure at school or work, an argument in our relationship, etc. Sometimes this can even happen for no apparent reason. Sometimes it can even happen for no apparent reason, because of the season 😕. That’s right, in winter we get less sunshine, which lowers our serotonin, there’s even something called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Nevertheless, this phase where we don’t feel well eventually passes, which isn’t the case with depression.
An unhappiness that takes hold
If you notice that the feeling of unhappiness sets in overtime, that it deepens until it becomes disabling and that you tick off even one symptom of depression, it’s surely because you’ve got it. It’s an illness that prevents our brain’s neurotransmitters from properly circulating hormones that are essential to our well-being 👇:
Depression can be caused by a number of factors, and it’s difficult to list them all: a generalized anxiety disorder, a traumatic event, a complicated childhood, some form of harassment, the loss of a job, a serious illness, the birth of a child, etc. In short, there are many things that can trigger a state of depression that leads us to say “I don’t feel well”.
📌 The Health Barometer conducted in 2021 showed an unprecedented acceleration in depression between 2017 and 2021. It rose from 9.8% to 13.3% among adults aged 18 to 75... |
👋 You might be interested in this article: I feel empty inside
What should you do when you don’t feel well?
Just like when you break your leg and go to A&E to get a cast and let the bones heal, you need to seek help when you’re feeling unwell. Admittedly, it’s not easy to talk to your doctor about depression, but it’s crucial to do so to prevent the suffering from getting worse 😥.
Putting your suffering into words
Of course, the point isn’t to come with your own self-diagnosis, but rather to talk about how you feel. You can even say the phrase “I don’t feel well”. You need to verbalize your feelings in this way: “I don’t feel well, I feel like crying all the time and nothing motivates me. I feel like I’m in the doldrums and that I won’t be able to feel happy”. In short, describe what’s going on inside of you, talk about it, even if it’s just the blues. In the long run, it can end up turning into depression.
You can also talk to those around you to explain a change in behavior. Talking to those close to you can also be a good way of understanding what’s at the root of this feeling. However, support from a healthcare professional is essential. Indeed, just like when you break a leg and leave it untreated, the after-effects remain. It works the same way with the brain 🧠.
Get therapy
Talking about it is all very well, it’s the first step towards recovery, but the real solution to feeling better is therapy. Following a consultation with a GP, you may be referred to a psychiatrist, particularly in the case of proven depression. Medication may be offered to restore the chemical imbalance in the brain ⚖️.
We may be referred directly to a psychologist, in order to understand more clearly the origins of this feeling of suffering. Whether it’s for the blues, depression, an anxiety disorder, a behavioral disorder, dissatisfaction with our lives – in short, any psychological condition – therapy is the real way out, so that we can stop saying “I don’t feel well”.
Editor’s note: Don’t let the feeling of unhappiness take holdIt’s important to realize and accept that you’re not well, either at the moment or for a long time. It’s the first step. It’s important not to underestimate this feeling of unhappiness, to put it into words, to verbalize what you’re feeling and to treat the cause. But to treat the cause... you need to know what it is and understand it... If you’re feeling unwell, if you get the impression that something’s wrong, if you’re feeling empty, don’t wait any longer to make an appointment with a psychologist. 🤗 Understanding yourself, accepting yourself, being happy... It’s here and now! #BornToBeMe |
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