Depression is often a misunderstood and misdiagnosed concept. Given how debilitating and life-choking depression can be, it's really essential that we truly appreciate the complexity of this condition. A one size fits all label that obscures each individual's unique circumstances is terribly short-sighted and perhaps inhumane.
Often, depression is what I call situational. In other words, outside stressors and the culture that we live may cause, contribute to or exacerbate this disorder. When dysfunction appears at epidemic rates, we need to take a deeper look at what's going on.
I wrote 10 signs of a Toxic Family:
SIGNS OF A TOXIC FAMILY:
1) NOTHING YOU CAN SAY OR DO IS GOOD ENOUGH.
2) THEY COMMENT ON THE SMALLEST FLAW OR PERCEIVED IMPERFECTION.
3) THEY DRAG UP YOUR PAST AND WON'T ALLOW YOU TO BE DIFFERENT.
4) THEY ACT LIKE THEY ARE ABOVE YOU AND NEVER MAKE MISTAKES.
5) THEY MAKE YOU FEEL GUILTY AND ASHAMED OF WHO YOU ARE.
6) THEY ARE CRITICAL, CONTROLLING AND DON'T THINK ABOUT YOUR NEEDS.
7) THEY LEAVE YOU FEELING BEATEN, WOUNDED, BATTERED, BRUISED AND TORN.
8) THEY VIOLATE OUR BOUNDARIES AND THEY NEVER RESPECT, " NO...".
9) THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU AND THEY LOVE TO SEE YOU SUFFER.
10) IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THEM, AND WHAT THEY THINK, WANT AND FEEL.
Often those inflicting this situational depression are too doltish to know what they are doing to the individual.
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Stephie Pahlavi Zan