According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that around 5% of people globally struggle with depression. Depression is a common mental illness that impacts millions of people. Unfortunately, some people who struggle with depression, rather than seeking professional treatment to manage their symptoms, may try to “brute force,” or overcome their depression symptoms through sheer willpower alone. In this article, we’ll explore more about the question: can you brute force depression?
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Why Brute Forcing Depression Is Ineffective
You cannot brute force your depression away. While it may seem like you can ignore, hide, or deny your depression, this will only harm your mental health long-term. When you try to ignore your depression symptoms and “brute force”, or use sheer willpower to try and overcome your depression, this only worsens symptoms and delays the time you could have been doing to seek professional treatment.
Brute forcing depression, or trying to push away your depression symptoms is an ineffective approach for several reasons, including:
Depression is a Mental Health Condition
Depression is a complex condition that impacts your brain and body. By trying to brute force your way through your depression, you are ignoring your condition and potentially the underlying causes in your life or body that may then lead to worsening symptoms.
Brute Force Invalidates Your Symptoms and Feelings
When you try to brute force your way through your depression symptoms, you are also invalidating your depression symptoms and how you are feeling. Rather than listening to your body, ignoring your depression and using willpower to suppress your depression symptoms will cause you to not listen to your body’s signs that you are in need of help to manage your symptoms.
Brute Force Does Not Get to the Source of Your Depression
Finally, brute forcing your depression does not address the source or underlying causes that may be causing your depression. While some people face an increased genetic predisposition to depression, other people may experience depression from a range of factors, whether it be unresolved trauma, chronic stress, unhealthy lifestyle habits, and more.
How to Best Manage Your Depression
As you can see, brute forcing depression and trying to suppress your depression symptoms is ineffective, and only increases your risk of experiencing worsening symptoms over the long term. This is why if you suspect you may be struggling with depression or another mental health disorder, you seek professional help to effectively address your depression symptoms.
Mental health professionals will be able to help you not only learn why you may be struggling with depression but also learn healthy coping strategies you can turn to to better manage your symptoms. Otherwise, failure to develop healthy coping strategies can increase your risk of turning to unhealthy coping strategies, like abusing drugs or alcohol, to cope with your symptoms.
Help Is Available
Now you know more about the question “can you brute force depression”? The answer is no. While you may seem to ignore or use your own willpower to overcome your depression symptoms, long-term this approach is ineffective and can even lead to a worsening of symptoms. This is why it’s critical that, if you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health condition, you seek professional support to better manage your symptoms.
At East Coast Recovery Center, we are a leading recovery treatment center that helps patients heal, overcome their addictions, and lead a healthier life. No two recovery journeys are ever the same. That’s why we offer a comprehensive range of addiction and mental health treatment options and programs so you can receive the tailored support you need to achieve sobriety. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your recovery.
