EPISODE: #164- Breaking Free: How Depression Fuels Worry and What You Can Do

Depression transforms your mind into a battlefield where worry, stress, and even paranoia can take root and flourish. After hosting 80 episodes over three years, I've learned that understanding this connection is crucial to breaking free from depression's grip.

When you're diagnosed with chronic depression, your brain chemistry physically changes. The lack of serotonin doesn't just cause sadness—it creates a cascade of worry that can feel impossible to escape. You find yourself caught between accepting your diagnosis and dealing with treatment challenges. But there's hope in taking proactive, daily steps to reclaim control.

The most powerful weapons against depression are surprisingly simple: that morning shower that energizes you, 15 minutes of sunlight that boosts your endorphins, 10-15 minutes of daily movement, and accomplishing just two small tasks each day. These aren't just feel-good suggestions—they're evidence-based strategies that directly combat depression at its source. Breaking large, overwhelming tasks into 25-minute segments makes the impossible suddenly manageable.

I practice what I share. Just last week, I struggled with heightened depression symptoms after losing a friend. The techniques I'm sharing pulled me through, as they have countless times before. Depression isn't something we cure—it's something we manage daily with consistent effort and compassion toward ourselves.

If you're listening in the darkness wondering if life is worth continuing, please know that giving up is never an option. Suicide transfers pain rather than eliminating it. Stay in this fight—if not for yourself right now, then for those who love you. Tomorrow brings new possibilities. Listen back to previous episodes for more strategies, connect with us on social media, and consider supporting our mission to reduce suicide rates with an $80 donation to mark our 80th episode. Your life matters, and together, we can win over depression.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Win Over Depression
• 1:47 Understanding Depression and Worry
• 5:10 Proactive Steps to Fight Depression
• 10:01 Three Steps to Defeat Worry
• 13:36 Personal Struggles and Hope
• 17:14 Suicide is Never an Option
• 19:44 Support and Donation Request

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:09

Hello and welcome to Win Over Depression. I am your host, tamara Trotter. This podcast is dedicated to those of us who suffer with a mental illness but who are trying every single day to understand our disease and to live the best life possible. This podcast is also dedicated to those individuals who are trying to understand this disease so that they can be more supportive to those friends or family who suffer with a mental health condition. I am excited to share with you the 80th episode of Win Over Depression. We have been in existence for three years and when I first started this podcast with my first episode, as I researched, I remembered that most individuals who start a podcast, they lose their inspiration after seven episodes and they end up quitting and they end up quitting. So here I am on my 80th episode and I am thrilled that you my listeners have continued to share this podcast with so many other people, and it has traveled to the international market, so please continue to listen and to share.

Speaker 1: 1:47

Today we'll be talking about how depression leads to worry and stress. You know, a diagnosis of chronic depression can really be devastating, especially when you do not know very much about the condition, but it is extremely important to recognize that there are many reasons that we suffer from depression. Specifically, some with the diagnosis of chronic depression have experienced sadness, crying, loss of interest and a poor appetite, to name a few, for two or more consecutive weeks. But you may not experience all of the symptoms noted. But, as I've shared many times, depression is due in large part to a chemical imbalance in the brain and if you have a family member who has suffered from or been diagnosed with a mental health condition, you are susceptible to also experience an episode of depression. That could be situational or it could be chronic. You know, the brain of a depressed individual is distinctly different than that of someone who does not suffer from depression, and an individual who has depression tends to worry constantly, almost to the point of paranoia. But, as I explained to you some of the behaviors that those who suffer from depression exhibit, it does not mean that every single person will exhibit the same symptoms. Will exhibit the same symptoms. So people who suffer from depression experience anxiety and they are more likely to be hospitalized because the anxiety can cause severe panic attacks that require immediate intervention.

Speaker 1: 4:08

So if you or your loved one suffers from a mental health diagnosis, one of the most important things that you can do is take a proactive stance to fight against the pain that you are experiencing. To fight against the pain that you are experiencing, and it will definitely be difficult to accept the diagnosis. But once you have acknowledged that you need help, the next step should be to become proactive and say to everyone that you are going to fight the condition and not allow it to get the best of you. Because those who suffer from depression also feel as if they're between a rock and a hard place, and the rock and the hard place is, number one, accepting that you suffer with a mental illness. But then, number two, seeking the treatment that is necessary can also cause stress and worry, because oftentimes the treatment can cause a physical manifestation of symptoms. So it can be, and it is, a very challenging disease, but I want you to keep the faith and be of good courage, because I will share with you some very important techniques that I use to help defeat my symptoms and feel better.

Speaker 1: 5:52

So if you or your loved one suffers from a mental illness, you have to push yourself and work harder every single day to make it through. You cannot let your guard down because you will risk having a mental health setback. So the first step is to acknowledge that you cannot lay in your bed in a dark room and become proactive when it comes to your depression. You have to make a concerted effort every single day to get out of bed and meet the day. That morning shower is essential because it will energize you and it will help you to get to a good place. Now you cannot produce more serotonin, because that is the reason why we suffer with depression is due to a lack of serotonin. But there are things that you can do to help increase and expand your endorphins, which has a direct effect on your mood. So you should be getting at least 15 minutes of sunlight every single day, and recently I talked about if there is no sun. Turn on all the lights in your home and make note of the fact that there are different levels of brightness and leave them on for 30 minutes. That is going to also help your mood. In addition to that, you want to get at least 10 to 15 minutes of exercise every single day, and when you're not feeling up to it, do your best to push through, but do not beat yourself up if you just can't do it, because oftentimes that is the reality you just don't feel up to it.

Speaker 1: 8:21

However, it is essential that every single day, you accomplish at least two goals that you set for yourself. They can be as simple as taking out the trash, washing the dishes, walking your dog, reading your emails and responding listening to music. All of that counts Because when you do that, you feel a sense of accomplishment and it gives you energy to do more. But when we are sedentary and we are not moving around, our mind begins to travel to the place that reminds us that we are sad. That reminds us that, whatever it is that we are wanting to accomplish, we have so many steps to get there that we don't know where to start. So someone who suffers with depression needs to do small tasks around the house 30 minutes an hour and take a break, and then you will see that you are still getting something done. If there is a task that's going to take you two hours and you focus on those two hours, you will never get up to start. But if you divide that into four tasks that are 25 minutes each, then it's more likely that you can get that done.

Speaker 1: 10:01

So when we worry, worry is the enemy of all of us, but it can have a catastrophic effect, specifically on someone who suffers with depression. So here are three steps to defeat worry. Number one do not worry about situations that you did not create. Try to not get involved. I know it's easier said than done, but you cannot afford to be worried about other people and expect to defeat your mental illness. Number two stay ahead of your disease by exercising, sleeping six to eight hours per day and expecting that every day you will accomplish something and that your life is worth living. Number three channel your energies in such a way that you begin to recreate who you are. There will always be something, but we have to learn not to make mountains out of mole hills. We have to pick our battles so that we do not let situations and circumstances, often that we have no control over, get the best of us, because, remember, you are valuable, important and your life is worth living.

Speaker 1: 11:44

There are so many opportunities that will come your way when you are able to clear the clutter in your mind. That we believe are true. It is our mind playing games with us and trying to trick us. Your mind is the worst enemy that you can possibly have when you suffer with a mental illness, because you begin to believe situations and things that aren't there, that they're not true. You start to second guess your friends, you start to act paranoid and you want to get some relief from what's happening. But you can't seem to be able to do that. But I want you to be encouraged because I was not always in the place that I am now and because I like to be transparent with my listeners.

Speaker 1: 13:03

The last four or five days I have struggled. Five days I have struggled. My symptoms of depression have been higher. I know that part of it is because a good friend of mine passed away and I didn't know about it. So that situation and circumstance caused me to suffer an episode of depression and I am just now starting to feel better. So I am with you. I experience it the same way that you do.

Speaker 1: 13:38

But if you go back and listen to many of the episodes of when Over Depression, you will find so many nuggets that will help you to better understand your condition and find ways to get past and get through how you're feeling, because nothing lasts forever and sometimes we just need to close our eyes and go to sleep, believing that the next day will get better. Some of the previous episodes 15 symptoms about your mental illness. Three ways to make better decisions and improve your mental health. Five reasons to push ourselves every single day. So when you go back and listen to the episodes I give you homework on many of the episodes and I'd like for you to get a pen and a paper Just take your time, spend an hour a day and listen to the episode the ones that resonate with you and you will find many solutions and many answers to the questions that you have. As long as you are willing to do the work, to put in the time, to not give up, to stay the course, to keep going, to fight, to believe that you are worth it, you can improve your life.

Speaker 1: 15:26

While you are suffering from a mental health condition, you cannot let this disease take charge of your life, because when you do that, you are giving in to a situation that you have not taken control over. Now is it hard? Absolutely. Does it get tiring? Definitely, but this is the card that we have been dealt and we have to do our best to live our best life. Tomorrow is not promised to any one of us and we do not want to have regrets when it gets to us living out our lives and feeling like we did not give it our best. We all deserve to be happy. We all deserve to achieve the desires of our heart, and that includes you.

Speaker 1: 16:35

If you are listening to this 80th episode and it's in the middle of the night and you are contemplating suicide, I want you to rewind this episode again and listen to it. I want you to decide that you are not going to take your life, but you are going to take a shower and go to bed, because tomorrow will be a new day. One of the things that keeps me steady and really working through my symptoms is our motto is giving up is never an option, and what that means is suicide is off the table. It is not a part of my vocabulary because it is not an option, and I would like for you to make that commitment to yourself that suicide is not an option, because when we leave this earth and we commit suicide, we are passing that pain onto our families and they will not understand why you committed suicide. They will blame themselves and some of them may not make it without you and they may end up taking their life as well.

Speaker 1: 18:07

If you cannot live for yourself at this point in time in your life. Then stay in the game of life for your loved ones, because they need you. Regardless of whether or not you feel needed, I guarantee that you will be sorely missed and it is not a situation or a circumstance that I want to see you in. So please do not take your life, and I never want to end my podcast without thanking you so very much for listening. Thanking you so very much for listening.

Speaker 1: 18:48

We are growing by leaps and bounds and I appreciate all that you have done for WIN over depression. We are asking for donations of $80 in support of our 80th episode. You can actually go to www WOD, which stands for win over depression podcast, dot buzz, b-u-z-z, sprout, s-p-r-o-u-t. Wodpodcastbuzzsproutcom and it will be listed in the show notes, and you can make an $80 donation, which will help us to hire a publicist and expand our website and be able to reach more and more people.

Speaker 1: 19:44

As you know, over 800,000 people commit suicide every single year and we are dedicated to reducing that number, but we cannot do it without the finances in which to make it come true. So I encourage you to go to my Facebook page, also called Win Over Depression. You can also find my YouTube channel over depression. You can also find my YouTube channel, when Over Depression under Tamara Trotter. That's T-A-M-E-R-A, last name Trotter T-R-O-T-T-E-R. You can also find us on Pinterest at TT Mental Health Expert. We have a lot of great pins on Pinterest. You can also find us on LinkedIn at Tamara Trotter, as well as Instagram and Tumblr and Twitter. Thank you so much for listening and we will see you next time on when Over Depression. Take care.