Survivalist Pro
Photo by Acharaporn Kamornboonyarush Pexels Logo Photo: Acharaporn Kamornboonyarush

Is being lazy a mental illness?

Laziness may be a momentary state or an issue of character, but it is not a psychological disorder. Further, if you're concerned you might be lazy, ask yourself if you're feeling deeply sad, have disengaged from things you used to love, and are having problems with sleep, energy levels, or your ability to concentrate.

How many rounds should a prepper have?
How many rounds should a prepper have?

Basic Home Supply. We figured a standard 1000 rounds each of handgun and rifle ammunition. This is ver conservative. Some people feel the minimum...

Read More »
What can I carry as a woman to protect myself?
What can I carry as a woman to protect myself?

Stun GunsStun Guns and Tasers. Pepper SpraysSelf Defense Sprays - Mace, Wildfire, Pepper Shot. Home ProtectionDoor and Window Alarms, Infrared...

Read More »

The Differences between Laziness and Depression

If you’re questioning whether you’re lazy or depressed, ask yourself if all you lack is motivation. “Laziness” is a matter of making a choice to not do a particular activity or activities, but depression is a chronic illness. Laziness may be a momentary state or an issue of character, but it is not a psychological disorder. Further, if you’re concerned you might be lazy, ask yourself if you’re feeling deeply sad, have disengaged from things you used to love, and are having problems with sleep, energy levels, or your ability to concentrate. These are all hallmark symptoms of depression.

What Is Depression?

Depression is a common psychological illness affecting a little over 8 percent of American adults. It affects all aspects of life, from how you think to how you feel and behave. Not only is depression characterized by deep, unrelenting sadness, but depression also causes people to lose the ability to feel pleasure. People lose interest in things they once enjoyed, withdraw from social life and relationships, may lose or gain weight without trying, and can suffer from a variety of physical problems. Depression causes a person to feel tired and lethargic. It also ruins one’s ability to be interested in anything, particularly activities that were once enjoyable (anhedonia). Depression causes one’s energy levels to collapse as well, even though they may be sleeping much more than usual. In fact, hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) is one of the most common symptoms of depression. For a depression diagnosis to be made, symptoms must be present for at least two weeks. The most common symptoms in their respective categories are:

Emotional:

Extreme sadness, mostly every day, usually without any identifiable cause

Feelings of guilt or worthlessness, in the absence of any cause

Loss of interest in activities once enjoyable (anhedonia)

Feeling cut off or unable to engage with others, activities or former interests

Feelings of emptiness

Excessive worry, rumination

Elevated anxiety

Snappishness, irritability

Cognitive:

Brain fog (muddled or fuzzy thinking)

Difficulty concentrating, inability to focus one’s thoughts

Diminished attention span

Problems with one’s memory

Negative outlook (“it’s all my fault, nothing will change, nothing will get better”)

Thoughts of suicide

Behavioral and Physical:

Does Dawn dish soap expire?
Does Dawn dish soap expire?

Dish detergent: About 1 year to 18 months. Laundry detergent: Lasts for 6 months to 1 year after opening. Disinfecting sprays: About 2 years after...

Read More »
Why do we get older?
Why do we get older?

Your cells are programmed to divide, multiply, and perform basic biological functions. But the more cells divide, the older they get. In turn,...

Read More »

Persistent lack of energy

Restlessness

Slowed movements, difficulty with or reduced speed in simple physical tasks ( psychomotor retardation )

Sleep disturbances

Social withdrawal

Self-isolation

What Causes Depression?

Our thoughts and emotions are regulated by complex chemicals called neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. Our nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, is completely dependent on these chemicals for their proper functioning. Researchers believe that when the production of neurotransmitters falls outside of normal levels, depression, as well as other psychological disorders, are the result. Without adequate levels of these chemical messengers, our brain works slower and less efficiently. One neurotransmitter, dopamine, is responsible for our ability to feel pleasure. Another serotonin, helps us experience and modulate our emotions. When brain tissue has a problem properly responding to or producing neurotransmitters, we suffer. When approached in this way, it’s easy to see that although depression is experienced psychologically, it’s very much a physical ailment.

Treatment for Depression

There are several excellent treatments for depression, including psychotherapy and medication therapy. Since 2008, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been used as a rapid, painless, and non-invasive treatment for depression. In TMS, a powerful and precise magnetic field is applied to an area of the brain that regulates mood. Many people experience no side effects and receive lasting relief from depression through TMS. This blog post is meant to be educational in nature and does not replace the advice of a medical professional. See full disclaimer.

Works Cited

Buyukdura, J., McClintock, S., & Croarkin, P. (2011, March 30). Psychomotor retardation in depression: biological underpinnings, measurement, and treatment. Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3646325/. George, M., Wassermann, E., Williams, W., Callahan, A., Ketter, T., & Basser, P. (1995, October 2). Daily repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) improves mood in depression. Retrieved from https://insights.ovid.com/crossref?an=00001756-199510020-00008

Major Depression. (n.d.). Retrieved June 4th, 2021, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.shtml

Prevalence of Depression Among Adults Aged 20 and Over: United States, 2013–2016 Number 303 – February 2018. (2018, February 13). Retrieved June 2nd 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db303.htm Risk Factors and Warning Signs. (2018, November 14). Retrieved April 10, 2020, from https://afsp.org/about-suicide/risk-factors-and-warning-signs/

What are neurotransmitters? Queensland Brain Institute. (2017, November 9). https://qbi.uq.edu.au/brain/brain-physiology/what-are-neurotransmitters.

Can I eat eggs everyday?
Can I eat eggs everyday?

For most healthy adults, it's safe to eat 1–2 eggs a day depending on how much other cholesterol is in your diet. If you already have high...

Read More »
What is the biggest problem with solar panels?
What is the biggest problem with solar panels?

One of the biggest problems that solar energy technology poses is that energy is only generated while the sun is shining. That means nighttime and...

Read More »
Who is the deadliest soldier?
Who is the deadliest soldier?

Simo Häyhä (Finnish: [ˈsimo ˈhæy̯hæ] ( listen); 17 December 1905 – 1 April 2002), often referred to by his nickname, The White Death (Finnish:...

Read More »
What Colour is pure water?
What Colour is pure water?

blue The water is in fact not colorless; even pure water is not colorless, but has a slight blue tint to it, best seen when looking through a long...

Read More »