I have always found the cognitive symptoms of depression to be among the most disruptive to my overall functioning. When I’m really unwell it feels like I can’t think my way out of a paper bag. I tend to describe the effect on my thinking as “mashed potato brains”.
Let’s think about the phrases “it’s just anxiety” and “it’s all in your head”. Let’s unpack them and consider them in terms of what we know about the brain and the body.
Depression is a profoundly isolating illness, as many mental illnesses can be, and as my illness progresses in many ways I find myself evolving into a hermit of sorts.
There have been a lot of horrific events in the news lately. As I saw these events on the news, I knew cognitively how terrible they were, but on an emotional level, I just felt nothing. I am not a cruel, heartless sort of person, but I still felt nothing.
