1258: Classic ACP What Is Depression?

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Unknown Speaker (1:16): The twenty twenty six FIFA World Cup meal at McDonald's is underway with one of nine legendary cups in the lineup. Christian Pulisic, David Beckham, Lamini Mall, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Son Hyung Min, Alfonso Davies, Santi Jimenez. And between the posts, it's Grimace. Get one of nine collectible cups with a FIFA World Cup meal.

Unknown Speaker (1:40): By participating McDonald's for a limited time, while supplies last. All rights reserved. 2026 McDonald's at FIFA World Cup twenty twenty six.

Unknown Speaker (1:53): Welcome to the anxiety coaches podcast, a relaxing and informative show where we explore anxiety, panic, and PTSD, sharing how you can overcome them for life.

Gina Ryan (2:09): Aloha. Welcome back to the anxiety coaches podcast. I'm your host and coach, Gina Ryan, and I am so happy to be with you again today as together we can consider the many ways to bring your mind and body back to its natural peace and calm. In today's episode, I wanna be right direct and talk about what is depression. I get a lot of questions about the difference between depression and anxiety, and I know there are other podcasts where we have covered that.

Gina Ryan (2:46): And today, I wanna talk a little bit deeper about, what depression is. So, actually, if the more people you ask about depression, you'll get a lot of different answers, a variety of answers. Depression is a very personal experience that millions of people all over the world have experienced. So it does get very personal, but there are some things that can clue us in as to the commonalities in in depression. Different people manifest different symptoms, but one thing is certain, and that is that depression is a difficult illness that can feel overwhelming.

Gina Ryan (3:33): And so many people with depression describe it as a sense of despair, despair that engulfs everything that they do and everything they feel. If you think being depressed is akin to feeling sad, like over a sporting event or something happening in your your life, this is not the same. Suffering with true depression is very deep, and it's more invasive than feelings of sadness or frustration. People describe it as depression taking everything away from you, sapping your energy, your focus, concentration, and even your joy. You just don't care about things.

Gina Ryan (4:22): Nothing matters, and even the people you love the most start to become unimportant. If you're depressed for a long period of time, you start to become accustomed to the feeling and other emotions become unfamiliar to you because we sink so deeply into the singular feeling, the depression. So it becomes frightening because that's all that you can feel. So there are some physical concerns that come up with depression also. Depression is not just taking a toll on your emotions and your mental state, but it can cause physical problems as well.

Gina Ryan (5:09): You can lose your appetite. We see this happen very often. Depression that can come after a long illness or depression that can come from a life circumstance, whatever, the depression in and of itself becomes physically an issue by the loss of appetite. And many people lose a lot of weight and are unable to even get their appetite back again. So this is a physical issue then that needs to be handled on top of the emotional and mental state.

Gina Ryan (5:51): And the reverse is true also. Many people become compulsive eaters over depression. It seems like it fills them up momentarily, and they become habitual overeaters. So either way, there is a new physical problem that has entered from the depression itself. And so depression takes the not only your energy, but your motivation.

Gina Ryan (6:19): So often you are not even concerned about what you should be doing or what to do next. When you're depressed, you tend to become less active. And again, this can cause a number of problems. But when added to some of the other physical side effects of depression, it's easy to see why depression can become a serious illness. Some other ways that we can see how depression manifests itself is a lack of sleep.

Gina Ryan (6:52): Often, depression can cause an insomnia, which, strips the body of necessary sleep to function properly. Poor nutrition, like we just mentioned. Depress when we're depressed, many fail to take in proper nutrients. There's just not the energy or the motivation to make that happen. It takes too much effort to plan and prepare the meals.

Gina Ryan (7:17): This can, of course, cause several health problems. Aches and pains. If anyone tells you that your mental state has no effect on your physical state, boy, they have not been in these anxiety or depression circles. When you're depressed, the chemicals in the brain that signal pain are as affected as the chemicals in your brain that help you feel happy. Physical aches and pains are increased, which in turn kicks in the sad feelings, and the cycle begins again.

Gina Ryan (7:52): Hygiene issues. Often people suffering from depression don't have the energy or the motivation to be concerned with self care. As summer starts, I've been thinking a lot about creating a calm, comfortable home environment, and clean air is a big part of that for me. I found Air Doctor online after moving into a different climate, and now it's the only air purifier I use in my home. This June especially, I've loved how fresh the house feels, and I've had far less sneezing during pollen season.

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Gina Ryan (13:26): Right now, Babbel is offering listeners up to 60% off. Go to babbel.com/acp. That's babbel.com/acp for up to 60% off. Rules and restrictions may apply. So what are some of the symptoms of depression?

Gina Ryan (13:50): Remember, you can have depression alone, you can have anxiety alone, or you can have anxiety and depression together. Often, when people have struggled with anxiety for a long time and they become exhausted, they become depressed. There is that wave of lack of motivation and low motivation to do anything. So pay attention and see if some of these are happening with you, and especially remember, there's always help. This can all be dealt with and that you are not alone.

Gina Ryan (14:31): So here are some specific things that those with depression in particular experience. Constant and severe sadness about everything, hopelessness, insomnia or trouble sleeping, irritability, trouble concentrating, loss of interest in things that once interest you, feeling worthless, useless, and strangely guilty for no reason at all, Serious changes in weight one way or the other, lack of energy and fatigue. And one thing about depression is certain is that it is a condition that should be taken seriously and that there is treatment, there is hope, and many people in life and I'm old enough to know to have seen this not only through myself, but through many people that I love, depression comes and it goes, and it can be dealt with. It's best if you get some help so that you don't slide too far down and not be able to have the motivation to keep yourself going. So it is a serious condition, and it is very treatable.

Gina Ryan (15:57): There's total hope. And even left untreated, often, depression fades. This has, been shown, but there's no reason to do it alone. You can reach out for help. Get a coach.

Gina Ryan (16:13): Get a therapist. Talk to your clergy. Tell your family you're struggling because there are many things that we can do as we have talked about here in the past to lift the mood, to keep motivation strong, and to remember that we can do this. So don't do this alone. Be sure to reach out.

Gina Ryan (16:36): As depression progresses, it can feel like a snowball rolling down the hill. The longer someone is depressed, the worse the depression can get until they feel like there's no way out of it. You can become resigned to feeling miserable all the time, and it doesn't need to be that way. Depression is very treatable, and so it's good to know that. Keep that glimmer of hope alive and know, okay.

Gina Ryan (17:06): I think this is I'm really slipping down here or this snowball is really beginning to roll downhill. I think it's time for me to seek help with this in many different possible ways. Depression can be caused by a particular event, the change in the seasons. We have talked about SAD here before, a loss of someone close to you, and even, you know, illnesses that have gone awry, and and you are unable to cope any longer. So there's many different reasons we can become depressed, but the treatment for depression usually involves keeping the hope alive, keeping your options open, knowing that you are not alone, and that actually depression is a part of being human.

Gina Ryan (18:06): We can go through these tough, tough things in life, and they may take us down, and we may have a journey through depression just as we here are having a journey through anxiety. It isn't the end. It can be treated and dealt with. So if you know someone who's depressed because you may just be struggling with anxiety, just anxiety, I know. It is a big enough deal on its own.

Gina Ryan (18:34): And like I said earlier, if you are struggling with anxiety long enough, you can become exhausted and begin to have some of the depression symptoms. So if you know someone who is depressed, the best thing you can do is to be a friend to them. Be open. Be compassionate with them. Talk with them and help them through this period, and ask them if they would like to seek some extra care through a therapist or a clergy or someone close in their life that is is familiar with these things, but do stay close with them.

Gina Ryan (19:16): Let them talk. Just be be loving toward them. Often, that's all we want when we're depressed is just someone to care. If you think you may be depressed, and you can talk to your health care provider. You can you can get a therapist, whether in your hometown or online.

Gina Ryan (19:36): Depression doesn't have to take you down. Like I said, it's part of the human condition. So you need some help maybe and some support, and you can do this. You can conquer this depression and move past it and go on to live a joyful life. And now for today's quote.

Gina Ryan (20:01): In the middle of winter, I at last discovered that there was in me an invincible summer. And that's from Albert Comas. I'll be back in a few more days with another podcast. Until then, be well, and aloha.

Unknown Speaker (20:23): Thanks so much for joining us for today's episode of the anxiety coaches podcast. Find more information at the anxietycoachespodcast.com.

Unknown Speaker (20:41): LaMigne Amal steps into McDonald's, looks left, sees Polisic, looks right, sees Jimenez. Gives a nod to Ronaldinho in the corner with a FIFA World Cup meal. Ronaldinho sees Son in the booth. Son finds Beckham going for extra Big Mac sauce. He's got Davies at the table just behind him.

Unknown Speaker (20:57): Davies going for his collectible cup. A steal by Henri. Who pulls his own collectible cup? Collect one of nine legendary cups with a FIFA World Cup meal.

Unknown Speaker (21:06): At participating McDonald's for a limited time. While supplies last, all rights reserved. 2026 McDonald's at FIFA World Cup twenty twenty six.