Existential depression and the way it leads to melancholy

When the term depression is used it may refer to the various existing types of depression depending on the factors that lead to that depression. Existential causes of depression occur when people question their life, its meaning, death. By questioning these things they end up sinking into depression (John & Grohol., 2018). The philosophy of existentialism states that human beings find meaning in life internally through their pursuits, desires and choices and not by specific type of god, authority or deity. A person is a free being who is entirely in charge of their own misery or happiness. It is the responsibility of each person to cultivate a meaning to their life in order to have the drive. These meaning can be cultivated through working, relationships, family, offspring, religion, charity, hobbies or other things. Existential depression could happen when a person contends with issues of freedom, death, finding meaning to life and life itself (John & Grohol., 2018). People suffering from existential depression may question their life and its meaning by asking themselves questions such as: What does my life mean, does it mean working from morning to evening, raising a family, and later dying? Is God concerned about me? Can I find someone who will believe and stand with me notwithstanding the situation?
Existential depression can be defined by the unique feeling of hopelessness and the feeling that there is no meaning in life. People suffering from normal states of clinical depression could as well experience existential issues associated with their life and its meaning through the process of psychotherapy for the treatment of this depression (John & Grohol., 2018). Existential issues often come up in the normal procedure of treating depression. Many clinicians will explore life and its meaning in the cause of treating existential problems. Identifying a passion or meaning in life is considered quite important by many people. The period a person suffers existential depression may be an episode that helps them focus their attention on their needs and answers to their questions (John & Grohol., 2018). The treatment of existential depression happens through psychotherapy with an intention of helping the victim find meaning to their life. There is no prescription medication to cure existential depression.
Specific situations or events throughout the life of a person can trigger existential depression. The depression can also be caused by nothing tangible. Situations such as job loss or loss of a family member can trigger existential depression. There has not been any deep research or any standard therapy processes that are proven to have better effects on the treatment of existential depression. The topic of depression is quite broad and detailed. Depression can be caused by one or a combination of the situations listed below.
· Hormonal: Imbalance of internal chemicals
· Situational: external events like job loss, tragedy, death etc.
· Biological: Genetically engineered depression
· Intrapersonal: Toxic perceptions and beliefs that result to loss of self-worth
· Seasonal: Can be triggered by seasons as in affective disorders.
· Existential: Caused by loss of soul connection and loss of meaning
Existential depression resists conventional medication such as medicine and psychotherapy. For this reason it is considered one of the most difficult, persistent, baffling, and stubborn types of depression. Existential depression is treatable though. In short existential depression can be perceived as a spiritual condition. It can be profound, crippling, quite personal and pervasive in nature. Existential depression is clinically classified as grey because it is considered as having no cause. However, the depression can be caused by external or internal crises. Some of the signs that someone is suffering from existential depression include:
· Persistent deep thoughts concerning life, its meaning and its nature
· Persistent desires to find answers to questions that have none like; what takes place after someone dies? What is the meaning and purpose of existing?
· Passionate displeasure with society and its state
· The feeling of isolation and disconnection from other people hence resulting to fewer relationships
· The feeling that one is misunderstood or as a different level from others
· Profound and terminal loneliness or melancholy
· The emptiness and numbness sensations and the sensation of being dead
· Disinterest of social interactions because they are perceived as shallow
· Anxiety
· Melancholic moods
· Sudden disinterest on usual pursuits
· Anxiety
· Low energy
· he belief that most situations and issues are meaningless and futile
· Suicide attempts or contemplating to commit suicide
Melancholic moods among existential depression victims are developed as a result of the feeling of being misunderstood, isolated and the lack of the feeling of belonging. Soul loss comes from a loss of a person’s essence and divinity. This causes them to feel empty and lonely. Due to the cycle of the mind where melancholic people are always lost in deep thought they end up in a pit-hole of endless questions and search for answers. The vicious cycle may never end without self-realization and self-awareness. Existential depression victims become accustomed with addictive melancholic tendencies and even seek solace from their solitude and sadness. As a matter of fact they view themselves as unique and different from the typical population because of their detachment from the reality of life.
Notwithstanding the level of counseling, medication, clinical analysis etc. the feeling a person suffering from existential depression has may never leave. The state of existential depression may even get worse with loneliness and hopelessness after undergoing therapy. In actual sense the failure of the psychotherapy to work lies with the psychotherapeutic profession and not with the person suffering existential depression. Treating depression blindly with a singular approach may be the biggest hindrance. The biggest downfall with the psychological profession is the perception that depression is one blanket condition. Psychologists approach and treat depression as depression without digging deeper to understand the actual type of depression the patient is suffering from.
It is important to understand the distinction between existential depression and other types of depression. Clinically, existential depression is perceived as an uncaused and vague mental health disorder. This clinical description of existential depression is narrow, superficial and limited in insight. The psychotherapy profession should know better. Existential depression, according to Luna (2018), is a crisis within one’s soul. This crisis can be understood as an awakening to the level of disconnection one has from their soul. The human soul is the source of human creativity, love, joy, hope, passion, energy, compassion, and bliss. The moment someone loses that connection with their soul they end up losing their deep divinity and essence. When a person loses their essence they will feel empty and lonely. This situation is referred to as soul loss. It is exactly what causes existential depression.
Soul loss is a tormenting and painful experience although it could also be the beginning of something good. It could be used as a starting point towards spiritual oneness and wholeness. Soul loss can be experienced in many ways. Existential depression from soul loss happens for several reasons including: High sensitivity, contemplative personality, high level of intellectual and emotional intelligence, soulful maturity, self-abuse, lack of or low self-awareness, hardship or tragedy, Soulless living and soulful maturity etc. Soulless living may be caused by poor values, poor choices in life, trivial job, destructive influence from the society etc. Existential depression often happens as a result of being sensitive. Through sensitivity people get a unique feeling that others will never have. It is for this reason that existential depression victims feel misunderstood and isolated. These people operate from a different spectrum of existence in comparison to the normal population. Existential depression victims are almost always gifted or talented people. They could be healers, sage, philosophers, artists or poets. Due to the uniqueness of these people they will often feel misunderstood, lost, lonely, overcome by irrelevance and misplaced.
Melancholy or pensive sadness among existential depression victims is quite common. The soul loss, feeling of isolation, irrelevance, misplacement, loneliness and being misunderstood are the essential ingredients that fuel melancholy. As characterized by Luna (2018) existential depression is more of a spiritual condition than a physical one. Talented and gifted people who often find themselves at odds with the reality under which other people live will feel isolated and lack a sense of belonging. These are the circumstances that fuel melancholy.
It is possible to get someone out of existential depression. In rare situations the process of recovery can be immediate. Often, the process is gradual. According to Luna (2018) the recovery process can be fast track through the following:
Tuning up ones unhappiness: It is important to find meaning to the unhappiness. It is important to view the feeling of meaninglessness, melancholy and unhappiness from a different perspective. Existential depression should be viewed as a journey and not some world of suffering. The goal is to find a path out of the situation with some patience and time.
It is also important to understand that the human mind has some limitations: It is not possible to human beings to get answers to all their life questions. The more a person questions and the more the answers they get, the more there are questions that need answers. The endless cycle of the mind can fuel existential depression if not checked. The mind does not encompass everything there is about life. The human mind and the intellectual goals to find answers from God can be a trap many existential depression victims risk falling into. The mind forms only one layer in human existence. The human mind can actually be a hindrance towards living and enjoying life. Life, according to Luna (2018) has never been a problem that needs a solution but the reality that has to be experienced.
It is necessary to stop for a moment, remain still and understand peace: Enlightened people understand that peace can be experienced at any and every moment. With some stillness, dedication, and patience it is possible to achieve internal peace and recover from existential depression. Through meditation it is possible to get in touch with the abiding, eternal and deep peace from inside. It is important to set some time apart for meditation. There are many research studies focused on meditation and the miraculous benefits of practicing it. Finding peace will help a person suffering existential depression to overcome their melancholic moods and attitudes and get in peace with their inner self.
Retrace the topics and fields that ignite fire to the soul. It is important to get in touch and focus on the things that are of interest. People suffering existential depression need to find their passion or the situations, activities and circumstances that make them feel energized, engaged, excited and fulfilled. By identifying and exercising exciting and engaging situations and activities it is possible to beat and overcome melancholy.
Existential depression victims must learn to nature themselves. It is only the sufferer who knows exactly what they want or need with their life. For this reason, the true and effective answers can only come from inside. The love and peace required to recover from melancholy can only come from inside. It is important to have self-love and show kindness towards your own self. Refrain from old habits, situations, thoughts, beliefs, and the people who are not supportive of you.
Existential depression victims must also learn to take responsibility for their own happiness. The reason melancholy is predominant in existential depression is because the sufferers have allowed their minds and search for answers to overwhelm them. It is important to be concerned about personal fulfillment and growth both as a person who is soulful and as a human being.
In summary, melancholic moods can become chronic and normal for existential depression victims. The circumstances leading to melancholy can culminate into a pathological state of loneliness and isolation. Existential depression, as discussed, can be overcome through psychotherapy and lifestyle changes. The sorry state of isolation, sadness, loneliness and loss of essence and significance for life is quite detrimental. As Luna (2018) states existential depression is spiritual and can only be overcome through a personal initiative and determination.




References
John, M. & Grohol, Psy.D. (2018) What is Existential Depression? PsychCentral. Retrieved, 21 October, 2018, from https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-existential-depression/
Luna, A. (2018). Existential Depression, Sensitivity and Soul Loss, Lonerwolf. Retrieved, 21 October, 2018, from https://lonerwolf.com/existential-depression/