In these phases, these negative thought patterns take on a life of their own, and those affected are at the mercy of the negative thoughts and thus also the negative mood. In the stage model, this phase introduces the depression or indicates its start.
Phase 2: suppression or increase in appetite
In the second phase, the basic mood has changed and with it the appetite. Some people feel like compensating their lack of well-being with soul food or eating a lot, others lose all appetite and the joy of eating. Whether in one direction or the other: This phase of the 5 phases of the depression is often accompanied by historical fluctuations and changes.
Phase 3: sleep disturbances
During this third stage, people with depression have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. The quantity and quality of the sleep phases change for the worse. Inner restlessness and tension can make it very difficult to fall asleep and make it difficult to get through the individual sleep phases that are so important. The result: no recovery in the morning, leaden tiredness and listlessness that accompany everyday life.
However, few people also show a changed sleeping behavior in the other direction: They are almost permanently tired and can sleep a lot and very deeply and thus fall into uncontrollable sleep phases.
Phase 4: Self-blame and guilt
In this stage of the 5 phases of depression, sufferers are plagued by strong feelings of guilt, blame against themselves and doubts. One’s entire being, one’s personality, one’s life model are questioned or criticized.
Extremely low self-esteem is a classic symptom of this phase. The fact that you feel mentally imbalanced can be another reason to blame yourself and feel ashamed of yourself.
Stage 5: Suicidal thoughts and/or suicidal behavior
The last phase of the phase model is particularly dangerous. In this, memories of suicide occur more frequently or can even lead to suicidal behavior. Hopelessness often shapes thinking and feeling. Here it is extremely important to confide in fellow human beings so that help can come from outside. Most people who are in this phase can only find a way out of depression with professional help.
Can you overcome depression on your own?
If you have the impression that you are noticing individual symptoms or even entire phases in yourself, you should definitely seek professional help. Only a professional can really help to assess the state of mental health and initiate appropriate measures.
However, people suffering from depression should not hope that a single appointment with a therapist will bring about an immediate cure. Just like a mental illness itself, its healing is usually also a process. It can be very helpful to actively involve people you trust in this process and also to seek conversations and exchanges in your private life.
For the talks and possible measures discussed with the therapist, those affected need their own strength to perceive and implement them anyway. A mental illness is in no way inferior to a physical illness and should therefore never be taken lightly – and certainly not a reason for feeling ashamed.