Depression is a very common mood disorder, since there are many different factors that can cause it to arise in people.
In this psychopathology, genetic predispositions and experiences are mixed that are as varied as life itself, that is, practically infinite. That’s why it is so complex and difficult to understand, because it can affect people with apparently very different lives, and even with socioeconomic statuses that are clearly far from each other.
However, thanks to decades of research, we now know that there are a series of experiences that are more likely than others to lead to depression. Here we are going to focus on a series of behavioral patterns capable of increasing the probability of suffering from depression and that can be included within the concept of passivity.
This is how passivity predisposes us to depression
It should be clear that it is impossible to predict who will develop depression and who will not. Each person is a world, and History is full of examples in which we see how the less privileged cope relatively well in the face of catastrophic events, and of members of the economic elite with seemingly perfect lives who nevertheless feel very unhappy.
But beyond this fact, it cannot be ignored that There is evidence about habits, attitudes and ways of life that lead us towards this psychological disorder., at least from the point of view of statistics and probabilities. For example, we know that this is what happens with various behavioral patterns associated with passivity (physical and psychological). They are the following.
Not worrying about keeping some control over the number of hours we sleep and when we go to bed usually costs us dearly. Even if we don’t realize it, after a few days of living this way, our mental agility decreases a lot, making it harder for us to concentrate and we are worse at reasoning (at least, as long as we don’t sleep properly for several days in a row).
But it is also known that beyond the wear and tear it produces on our cognitive abilities, the lack of quality sleep makes us more vulnerable to depression. This could be because Through the physical wear and tear that it generates on our nervous system, our brain is more exposed to inflammatory processes.which are known to be one of the biological causes of depression.
2. Reluctance when asking for help
For many people, the idea of asking loved ones or members of their close social circle for help is almost impossible to conceive. This is what happens with those who consider that the default way of living is to be a totally autonomous human being, who only resorts to asking for the support of others in extreme situations… and by never doing so, By the time the time comes to be vulnerable so that others can lend a hand, it is already an action that breaks too much with the “comfort zone.”.
In this sense, moving forward without realizing that certain challenges are not made to be faced without help is a passive attitude, although paradoxically it usually leads to ending up physically and/or psychologically exhausted. And with this deterioration of health, cracks appear through which the most common psychological disorders, such as depression, can slip through.
In fact, there are scientific hypotheses that seek the evolutionary usefulness of depression and according to which this psychopathology could be a way of relying on the collaboration and help of others in an unconscious and indirect way. If for whatever reason we do not willingly openly recognize our limitations, the biological and unconscious processes of our body would do it for us… although of course, sometimes this mechanism would fail, activating at times when it cannot be of help and when it in itself represents an added problemas sometimes happens with anxiety, for example.
This is logic taken to the extreme of what usually happens when we cry around people who know us; We must not forget that the most basic action that we usually associate with sadness and hopelessness, shedding a few tears, is probably a mechanism that emerged to communicate to others that we are not well.
3. Light hobbies typical of a sedentary lifestyle
Hobbies linked to a sedentary lifestyle, such as spending long periods of time on the couch watching television, are also associated with a higher risk of developing depression.
This may be due to the lack of meaningful stimuli they offer, combined with the absence of stimulating challenges to focus on: Those who limit themselves to watching what television channels broadcast or observe what others post on social networks only consume finished content, which does not lend itself to participating in them in any way.
4. Tendency to isolate yourself
Social isolation, the lack of a habit of seeking out others to interact face-to-face with them, also appears to increase the likelihood of experiencing depression. This may be due to both a greater predisposition to live in an unhealthy way (lack of hygiene, poor diet, use of legal or illegal drugs, etc.) because there are fewer incentives to maintain a good image and/or a healthy living environment.
It may also simply be due to a lack of stimulating or novel experiences.. If we are always alone, it is more likely that we will end up always living the same type of experiences, and always doing the same thing, until we reach a point where we no longer expect anything good from the future. And from what is known, depression is based on a vicious circle in which we settle into a way of life marked by a lack of stimuli and by our inability to “connect” emotionally with projects that in other circumstances would have interested us or even excited.
For this reason, many forms of psychotherapy are based on helping the person to actively re-engage in stimulating activities, no matter how simple they may be at first, to gradually gain “inertia” and recover the ability to enjoy.
Are you looking for professional help for depression or low mood?
If you think you are suffering from symptoms of depression or feel bad because you experience a low mood in your daily life, we suggest that you contact our team of professionals. In Psychomaster We have many years of experience offering psychotherapy to people of all ages, and currently, in addition to providing in-person care at our facilities in Madrid, we also provide online therapy through video call platforms. To see more information about our psychology center and Psicomaster’s contact information, access this page.
