Can Insomnia Cause Depression

Can Insomnia Cause Depression Image

Introduction There was a time, about two years ago, when depression really affected me, when I wasn’t getting a good night’s sleep. Most nights, I would stay up for an hour, wake up at 4 a.m. for no reason, and consider it stressful, busy, and nothing more important than that. I remember occasionally talking to … Read more

Is Genetic Depression Real — And If You Carry the Risk, Does That Mean You Will Get It?

Is Genetic Depression Real Image

Introduction When my mother was first diagnosed with depression in her mid-forties, the word our family used was “breakdown.” No one called it a mental health problem. No one called it major depressive disorder. And no one talked about what it could mean for the rest of us with their DNA, their home, and the … Read more

I Was Sleeping Eight Hours and Still Waking Up Exhausted — How Depression Affects Sleep Explained It

How Depression Affects Sleep Image

Introduction For several months, I slept a full eight hours most nights, sometimes even longer, and woke up feeling like I hadn’t slept at all. It confused me a lot. I wasn’t looking at my phone after staying up late. I wasn’t drinking a lot of caffeine. By all obvious indicators, he was “sleeping well” … Read more

I Used to Ask ‘Why Me?’ Until I Understood How Depression Happens in the First Place

How Depression Happens Image

Introduction For months I searched for a specific reason. A single event, a particular failure, something tangible enough to point to and say, “That’s why it all happened.” “I never found it, and for a long time I thought it meant I was missing something obvious about myself.” I looked at the last year almost … Read more

I Used to Think Depression Was ‘Just Sadness’ Until I Learned How Depression Affects the Brain

How Depression Affects the Brain Image

Introduction For a long time, I believed that depression was just an extreme version of sadness, which remained completely within the realm of emotions and willpower. One therapist I spoke to finally gently but firmly corrected this assumption in our first session, and changed the way I thought about all my experiences. I remember asking … Read more

How Depression Affects Daily Life: What Nobody Told Me Until I Was Already Living It

How Depression Affects Daily Life Image

Introduction The moment I realized something was really wrong wasn’t dramatic. It was Tuesday morning, standing in front of the kettle, unable to decide whether I wanted tea or coffee. It’s not because he was indecisive. Because making that small decision required as much energy as I didn’t have. I stood there for as long … Read more