Depression and Having Low Self-Esteem

Depression and Having Low Self-Esteem

Not exactly an inspiring and rousing topic, huh?

Sometimes it helps us humans to talk it out, maybe write about it, perhaps analyze it and put it into a bigger, or better context.

I have known a few people who have suffered with depression, which is a very real thing. Some people mask it pretty well. Sometimes those of us feeling down or who beat ourselves up (probably too much) may wonder if we are dealing with it. The comedian self-help character cum Minnesota Senator Al Franken, aka Stuart Smalley, was a funny exercise in determining self-confidence, the lack of it, or perhaps into depression, which was coupled with alcohol abuse, and therefore the positive affirmations to live one up, like "You're good enough, you're smart enough, and doggonit: people like me!"

But clinical depression is bigger than that, and requires more than just affirmations and positivity. Some need treatment and drugs, like my mom used, and those helped her quite a bit.

Low self-esteem or lack of confidence does not have to accompany depression, but they probably enable each other somewhat. It is a bad combination. Can you imagine a person who is severely depressed but has high self-confidence or high self-esteem? Hard to imagine, right?

But there are those who lack confidence and/or esteem who have no problems with depression.

The combination of the two makes more sense, however.

Motivation versus apathy.

That is a big topic right there. Are there highly confident people who have great self-esteem that lack motivation, who are highly apathetic? I guess that can be so. Seems like a cynical type, right?

But in life we have all kinds. Grumpy, moody, forlorn, happy, effervescent, high energy, friendly, amiable, and we can cross from one mood or disposition to another. Sometimes day to day or week to week, sometimes hour to hour or minutes to minute.

Long versus short term moods or postures define the descriptions or statuses of what we deem ourselves.

"Down", or "in the dumps", "blue", or melancholy, even morose--a word I heard in a very good documentary last night-- can describe a short term condition or feeling. When things last, the mood persists for a longer period of time, then it can be deemed a disorder, perhaps. Even a mental condition. Like depression, or other diagnoses that are not totally mentally healthy.

Neurosis, psychosis, are the clinical conditions that we try to avoid. Or overcome, treat, and deal with. Cope with. Survive. Conquer or work past.

I was thinking that beating yourself up mentally, probably too much, is obviously not healthy but might be a mechanism of coping or a derivative of apathy. Apathy may be an indicator of laziness, but a lot of slothfulness or laziness may really be at root a large amount of lack of motivation, which might have other reasons, which may include low self esteem. Or low self-confidence.

Or, perhaps the person simply does not believe in the overall schema of the proposed enterprise. The lack of motivation may not be within themselves, but how they interpret the utility or efficacy of the project being dealt with.

Make sense?

There, maybe that helps sort some things out.

Enjoy. And stay motivated. MOTIVATED. Despite all the other tom foolery.