Didn’t See It Coming.

Didn’t see it coming: As if anxiety and PTSD weren’t enough, major depressive disorder too?

Follow us

Out of all my mental health conditions, the one I never thought was an option was major depressive disorder (MDD). It crept under the radar, cloaked in my anxiety disorder; at least this is what I thought was the source of my woes. I guess I didn’t see it coming.

I have always been a fairly positive, upbeat person, so it came as a surprise when the psychiatrist diagnosed me with it. However, after exploring the symptoms and looking back on it now, I see it plain as day.

Signs and symptoms of major depressive disorder.

Not only can I see its influence on my life, I can say with certainty that it’s been in the background since adolescence. In my teens, it was masked as moody teen behavior. Perhaps this is why the heavy dread went undetected.

“What’s more imperative is finding ways to minimize its impact on the quality of my life”.

Robbed of energy and full of inexplicable sadness, I rationalized it away by thinking that everyone gets the blues now and again. But “the blues” don’t generally cause mental exhaustion and physical pain, a fact I failed to observe for years.

These depressive episodes only became clear after I was diagnosed with PTSD. It was at this moment when I realized how interwoven the two mental-health disorders were. The trauma I accumulated brought to my attention just how cyclic the moments of “blue” are. I have several episodes a year. How could I have mistaken this for normalcy?

Latest Posts

This is a question that I struggle to answer, and now at almost forty-four, I have accepted that I will never know. Honestly, I am okay with that. Its source is now irrelevant. What’s more imperative is finding ways to minimize its impact on my quality of my life.

Treatment options for depression

Although it exacerbates my disconnect to the outside word – a disconnect that comes with the post-traumatic territory, – I work hard so I’m not swept away by its unrelenting feelings of worthlessness.

“Improve your quality of life by doing your best to squeeze every drop of happy out of this life you’ve been given. “

One thing I recommend for you, is talking to those closest to you. Get their feedback on what it is they see about you. For example, you might think that you’re simply tired all the time and that’s why you sleep in a lot. but iis there more to it? Remember, be gentle – you are asking for their help.

see
Didn’t see it coming

Pay attention to how you feel. Really stop and think about it. Am I feeling inexplicably sad and want to cry? Do I feel this way for more than two weeks? Do I withdraw from things I used to love, family get-togethers etc?

Since you’re here, check out and share: 5 ways to maximize your mental health.

If through your investigations you find cause for concern, maybe it’s time to see a mental-health professional. Once you know for sure, you can restart your way down the road to mental wellness.

For me, I do most of the work between the lows so as to help me cope when they hit. Diet and exercise are key players in my recovery. Changing my eating habits has taught me the importance of good food’s health benefits, including mental health.

I know MDD can be discouraging but try and keep in mind it’s not something you can just get over. If in doubt, do some research, and you will discover that it is a real, legitimate illness that can be chronic and debilitating. You didn’t ask for it but you must tackle it. Is every day going to be filled with joy? Not likely, but you can improve your quality of life by doing your best to squeeze every drop of “happy” out of this life you’ve been given.

Written for therapeutic relief – published to help others.

Follow us

Jonathan Arenburg

Jonathan Reginald-Nixon Arenburg (Born January 14, 1976) is a Canadian mental health blogger, speaker, and published author. Retired from the fire service and long-term care fields, he has written and self-published an autobiographical account of his life-long battle with anxiety, depression and more recently, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Titled, The Road To Mental Wellness, he wrote it for what he calls “therapeutic release.” He published it in hopes it would help others going through similar mental health conditions. The sales of The Road To Mental Wellness have been steady selling over 300 copies since its release on October 10, 2021(World Mental Health Day). Arenburg has also been involved in a collaborative publication Called Lemonade Stand Volume III, a book featuring 20 authors who bravely tell their stories of PTSD. All authors where from the military and or emergency services. Published by Joshua Rivedal and Kathleen Myers for the i’Mpossible project, a mental health advocacy organization. Jonathan has also appeared on several mental health podcasts including The Depression Files, A New Dawn, and The Above Ground Podcast Arenburg has also consulted with the Government of Nova Scotia and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, the Honorable Brian Comer and Candidates for the New Democratic Party of Canada, on improving the mental health care system in Canada. Additionally, Jonathan was recognized in The Nova Scotia Legislature by the Honorable, Chris Palmer, Kings-North MLA, for his Book, The Road To Mental Wellness, his fight to make the mental health care system better. In addition, Chis acknowledged the support he gives to others.

Please leave a comment and tell us what you liked about what you read.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.