Depression is Harder for Smart People// How to finally beat it for real.

Depression is harder for smart people

And that's not the pain of having a bigger brain.... although that could be part of it ;)

Depression is, by objective fact, a lack of physical energy.

 

Reader: "What? A lack of physical energy? Not even mental energy? 

Me: "Sure! It could be mental energy. If mental energy IS physical energy!"

Reader:

 

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Entertain this.

You'll see what I mean when I show you how your BODY being neglected is manifesting as persistent sadness.... or hopelessness..... or a general sense that you could fall into a void and be happier there than doing literally anything else.

This isn't all to disregard your circumstances or your disabilities. This is to invite the idea that hope of relief is possible. Hope of a confident you is always possible. 

Let's talk about where this struggle is coming from.

 

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For you, it could be genetic. It could be environmental.

It could be neurobiological, but you can probably relate to it manifesting as a seemingly endless drove of negative thoughts that you can't seem to control.

I talk a lot in my content about how depression is the absolute low end of the physical energy spectrum....

....and any kind of treatment procedure that's going to end up being THOROUGHLY AND UTTERLY TRANSFORMATIONAL needs to be centered around a lifestyle.

What holds you, the intellectual, at a higher risk of crippling depression than your average idiot is the valuing of the THOUGHTS over FEELINGS.

An excessive overvaluing of the negative thoughts that you experience, and and supressing of what's actually causing the thoughts in the first place:

The feelings.


You, the intellectual, are far more likely to become saturated in this excessive flow of negative thoughts, and then stay there.

Because.... well...... we think. We're SUPPOSED to think.

While you're mostly right about the use of our 1 in a few hundred thousand super-computer-brain, this situation demands you use it in a different way.

Remember, you are not going to reason your way out of this. 
What you need to do is control the flow of dopamine, seratonine, and addrenaline.

What you're experiencing in the state of depression is a hormonal imbalance. This is completely natural, however it becomes unnatural when you find youself living the majority of your life in a low-vibe.

Your own philosophical basis for a will to live excluded, no other thought is necessary nor helpful.

Believing you're going to have a come-to-Jesus-esque realization is an avoidance behaviour my dude! You have to accept that what you're experiencing is a physical issue. Your body is what's causing you to feel this way.

 

You've heard of Dopamine:

1. • The neurotransmitter most commonly associated with pleasure and reward.In the context of how you're feeling, some studies have proposed that certain areas of the brain related to motivation and reward may be less responsive in people with depression.

 

...And Seratonin:

• Another neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in mood regulation, sleep, appetite, and overall emotional well-being. In depression, there's a theory known as the serotonin hypothesis which suggests that an imbalance or dysfunction in serotonin neurotransmission will ultimately lead to depression.

Relating back to that concept of Neuroplasticity we were talking about earlier:

• Chronic stress will carry out the EXACT SAME effects in the brain that chronic positive energy does. That is to say.... the structure and function of neurons in the brain will actually alter 'permenantly' in response to the continued negative emotions. The changes in the physical connections between neurons contributes to the persistence of your depression....

The cycle repeats. 

 Again, you cannot just THINK your way out.

You have to shift your ENERGY.

Physically get up, turn away from reason, and go all in on the habit pattern adjustments that are going to raise your baseline physical energy.

Your brain should already be churning out ideas on how you can increase your energy.

Don't overcomplicate this.

Music. Laughing. Playing the piano. Drawing.

You ALREADY KNOW what makes you feel good.... what makes you feel in a state of real positive flow. That's what we're pursing here.

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Exercise is the easiest place to start.

It isn't just about sculpting the body; it's a potent mood booster.

Physical activity releases endorphins[, your body's natural antidepressants,] triggering a positive change in brain chemistry. Let's not forget that a more consistent healthy release of "feel good" hormones permenantly changes your brain's phyiscal structure.... making it easier and more natural to feel the positive emotions and feeling states you want to experience on a regular basis. 

Science suggests while this is a capability that gets weaker with age, you could still exprience a full-fledged habit revolutions in your "golden years" with the right training.

 

"When it comes to health and well-being, regular exercise is about as close to a magic potion as you can get." - Thich Nhat Hanh

 

 Whether it's a walk, a run, or the zen of yoga, they say "movement is medicine."

And in terms of mental health, it's more than aliteration.

It's truth.

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Action step

• Journal the following: What physial activities am I doing consistently? Do I have a good fitness plan in place to make sure I'm in a high-energy state at least 3-4x per week? If now, what can I do to get set with a good plan? 

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The same goes for the food you eat.

The fuel you put into your body will impact every aspect of your mental state. There's a reason it's never been cliche to associate people that are not only strong, and physically healthy people but intelligent... important people with healthy food. 

A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and clean plant-based protein is going to yeild every physical advantage, including mental health. 

Explore the mind-body connection in your eating habits. Savor your meals, be present in the experience, and consider how different foods make you feel. Nourishing your body is a form of self-care, and that extends to your mental well-being. Down to the microbiology of your gut biome, and if you haven't read into the brain-gut connection, I recommend checking it out.

It also provides some of the most powerful feedback about your relationship with your self talk.

Food is the fastest way to top 10% health. It's also one of the most common vices.

Start to work with your relationship with how you eat.

Whether you're willing to call it obsessive thinking, or you want to call it deep thinking.... you're going to find that it's depression is much more difficult if you can't turn away from that thinking and instead spend/recieve energy from physical habit adjustment.

Start to acknowledge what physical habits you already know aren't serving you, and start to acknowledge what life would look like if you were to release from those negative habits and get conistent with the positive ones.

And remember to keep it simple. Anything you use as a healthy vibe-booster is going to work.

Alignment with your healthies patterns and de-alignment with your current state is the key that's going to heal your depression now and FOREVER.

You make this happen by letting go of the infinite drove of negative inner conversation and instead going all in on the physical actions that are going to help you feel better and look better.

Your mind is a gift. Don't be afraid to tell it to shut the fuck up!

If you're ready to work with a coach to build your personal lifestyle masterplan so the good habits feel good and the bad habits aren't even attractive anymore.

Click the here let's get on a coaching call together!

We'll take your goals, your biggest challenges right now, and build a bridge to your best self and get you to start manifesting some of those big goals.

Finally, if you liked this piece.... keep your eyes peeled for the next blog on dopamine dependency. We'll talk all about how your brain creates motivation, how that usually gets hijacked in the modren world by drugs/media/sex, and how to take back your power.

(Here's the YouTube version of this article:)