Societal Pressures and it's possible affect on depression
There are many reasons as to why depression sets in but Id like to focus on one specific reason and my hope is that by identifying it, we can see if this affects us in our own life.
Societal pressures – There are a lot of external factors that weigh us down in life. There is the pressure we get growing up as a child from our parents, teachers, and other roles of authority we encounter when we are young. Sometimes it can feel like we are always being told what and what not to do, which can be very overwhelming and we can be left with the question, what about me?
When we begin to get older we start to feel the pressure from our peers (our friends and others we coexist around). These pressures can include trying things we really have no desire to try or attempting to fit in with those around us (gender groups, cultural groups, etc). Some of us do well with this and look at it as a source of inspiration and motivation to become a better within certain aspects of our life but others can feel overwhelmed and burdened with the question, what about me?
And then comes adult life and whether it be advancing our education or entering the workforce, the external pressures can become even more amplified. Pressures to keep up marks in school in order to meet requirements to advance or keep scholarships. Pressures from the workforce like keeping up with a coworker or meeting the demands of your employer. What about me?
Something that intertwines with all of this is conformity and something that can make us all nervous is the fear of standing out and being different. But the reality of this is, you are different, you are unique, your passions are different and there really is no one else in this world quite like you; take pride in that!
So what about you?
What types of societal pressures do you notice in your own life?
What types of societal pressure do you find are the hardest to cope with? What are some that you find are easier?
Do you think that these pressures can be healthy and at what point do they do more harm than good?
Do you think that these pressures can become overwhelming and lead us into depression?
Are you afraid to stand out?
And here are some links that can help out if you want to know a bit more about this subject and how to break free of it.
Conformity - https://youtu.be/LiC0Gi0nK9g
Media Influence on women to be thin - https://youtu.be/9QHL6IwY0HA
Defining yourself in the midst societal pressures - https://youtu.be/rnObXu-DxgU
Be Yourself: Mantras to defy peer pressure - https://youtu.be/Ltkqvotr-aA
I feel a lot of pressure to be bubbly and carefree. Everyone wants to see a smiling girl. I put on the happy face at work and my coworkers compliment me on being "the most cheerful one" in the workplace, meanwhile the energy it takes to fool them leaves me completely drained by the time I leave. I spend so much energy trying to seem happy at work that I don't have enough energy to be around people in my free time and spend my days off alone in my room recovering. It's exhausting.
@sunmaid27
Yes, according to all magazine and images we are bombarded with, happiness is an imperative not to be a loser. It's also what makes it so hard to change mentalities about depression.
Two years ago I felt down and out, even thought about committing a suicide. My family died in a terrible car accident and I was left alone. I took drugs, drank and really broke bad. To stop that nightmare my uncle made me consult a psychologist. There I got a prescription for cbd oil. I thought it was a joke, I used to take drugs and then I was prescribed hemp oil as a medication. It turned out that it hadn't been a joke and many people took it as an effective means of therapy. In our state it's difficult to buy the necessary type of it in drugstores, so I was recommended to order it here https://cbdreamers.com/cbd-oil-for-anxiety-and-depression. Now I've been taking it for four months and my depression is fading. It's not a panacea but at least now I can back to the normal way of life.
In my case, I think I was more vulnerable to depression because my parents and siblings have or are still affected. Both my parents had a lot of pressure from their own parents as they expected social recognition from their offspring's success.
My brother pressured himself to succeed in a field that didn't really interest him. He was too depressed to really choose a career. My sister was academically challenged but managed through my parent's efforts and private tutor to become a primary school teacher.
For me studies were a form of stress but also a hideout from anguish. I think I was born in a family with raw emotions. I could have been the lucky one, but I was born when my father was getting sick and my mother depressed(I have reasons to believe I was intended to be an antidepressant. Oops)
In fact, like most kids I learnt behavior patterns from my parents : being anxious and nervous was the norm.
After 4 years of heavy-duty bullying I learnt not to care about WTF others think of me. I resisted the social norm, no brands or foul- mouthed behavior or skipping classes.
The worse social pressure is the stigma that prevents serious consideration about mental health being a illness, like cancer but less marketable, and not considering it worth of prevention. It has a terrible human cost, but also economically and socially.
I do belive that societal pressures play a huge role in dealing with depression. I've been going through these dark periods for a long time now, and i can never find it in myself to open up to anyone about it. My parents alone pressure me to be someone i can't be to keep people we know happy. I am a 23 year old yet i'm controlled like im 13. In our society we are expected to be dependant on our parents till we get married and then please our in-laws and spouse. Its frustrating, esp. when i have a diffent way of thinking to people around me, like my mum says a girl should dress up and use make up to look presentable, but i don't like to do either. I believe in following your own path and persuing purpose, but the people around me get hyped for meaningless trends. When it comes to depression and sucidal tendancies, no one talk about it and find it a joking matter, and from what i know, my parents believe depressed people are weak and can't deal with emotions properly. So i end up having to pretend being okay all the time at home and its suffocating. If society could open up their minds regarding important things, maybe getting help with depression could be easier. It hurts me to hear my own parents say that "oh, that girl killed herself, she was just stupid" ... and people around me share the same opinion.
- Pressure to go out more. Not just stay in my room all day when not in office. This one time I finally went out for a vacation to a different state, and we took a temp hotel room, I wanted to stay in the room all day rather than go out and explore.
- Pressure to be competetive at work.To be ready to accept more challanges and difficult tasks. This is more innate than societal. Others do it, and so I feel I should too. Also, they are on a constant lookout for future opportunities. I cant even handle this job.
- Pressure to dress and groom a certain way. I dont really understand fashion and I really lag in grooming areas.
- Pressure to behave a certain way in situations. Example: I got a desk job. I see my colleagues being all serious and stuff. Also, somehow people are born with the ability to react perfectly? Like I am never able to develop the mindset "Okay so I have a problem right here. How can I solve it?!". Instead id think all about how I suck at other things too and get overwhelmed.
- I cant handle a bunch of people. This one time I and my offcie colleagues were travelling in a train, and sharing stories about themselves, times in their life when they acted strangely. And then one person commented on how I was so silent, and I was somehow getting irritated so mch that i said "I have never been that idiotic(a harsher synonym of idiotic tbh)". :|
Society does pressure people. Boy, I feel it too! However, remind yourself that it's okay to feel overwhelmed and pressured. For example, if you were a math teacher and 1 student didn't get the lesson, you wouldn't just give up on them and kick them out of the class. Everyone is different so even if you're the one worker who doesn't know what to do, there's no reason to feel ashamed. However, there is the side that you can't believe you have no ability at all. I run and I had a race on monday. On sunday, I ran 3 miles, On monday I ran for about 20 minutes and I automatically thought I would do awful on my race because I always believed you need to rest a lot before a race. I ended up getting 8th place, passed 4 other runners, and beat my time. You can do anything. You just have to believe. Sometimes, if you need a break, maybe step outside, grab a snack and then go back to work. I think talking to a therapist, sleeping more and thinking more positivitly can help you. Sometimes taking a break as well. Laying in bed might mean you're overwhelmed. I've done it before and when I went back into my routine, I automatically felt better after.
@randomp3rson
Yes! I love this post ❤️ random and I also find your positivism contagious 🙂.
Thank you for your post.
@easyLemon4509
Thank you for being so honest with us
@easyLemon4509 I feel the heavy weight of our society on me so hard that I quit my job. I worked at a non-profit raising money for kids. It's so hard seeing day in and day out these rich people who feel called by god to donate money but continuously take part in their capitalist pursuits. It's so hard coming from a poor background and seeing this wealth. Everyone was so fake and not genuine. I had to quit and now I'm not sure what to do. I was the biggest financial support for my family and now I've fucked it all up. I have tunnel vision and feel too groggy to get a job. It's like I can't hear people and comprehend what I need to do. It feels like my brain is melting.
Dear @easyLemon4509 ,
Society will always press on people, that behave differently. It is like a system with multiple gears. However, there is "resistance" -- gears that are able to work differently, but effectively. Please, do not give up. Everyone has problems. Everyone. And everyone teaches themselves how to cope with those problems.
I had overwhelming myself too. I screamed in my room every day I did not understand how to solve problems in my job. It was like this until I did not take a decision to change my life. And firstly, I started from my mind with the help of [url=https://club100online.com/index.php/bioenergy-healing-course/]Healing Course[/url] which helped me very much. First of all, I started to create borders in my own personality to not being distracted by others, by people around me.
Then I started little by a little talk with myself and say things like "I am a hero. I am a good person. I will fight till the end. This is normal. I will cope with everything".
Wish you good luck in searching for yourself :3
Dear @easyLemon4509 ,
Society will always press on people, that behave differently. It is like a system with multiple gears. However, there is "resistance" -- gears that are able to work differently, but effectively. Please, do not give up. Everyone has problems. Everyone. And everyone teaches themselves how to cope with those problems.
I had overwhelming myself too. I screamed in my room every day I did not understand how to solve problems in my job. It was like this until I did not take a decision to change my life. And firstly, I started from my mind with the help of https://club100online.com/index.php/bioenergy-healing-course/ which helped me very much. First of all, I started to create borders in my own personality to not being distracted by others, by people around me.
Then I started little by a little talk with myself and say things like "I am a hero. I am a good person. I will fight till the end. This is normal. I will cope with everything".
Wish you good luck in searching for yourself :3
@easyLemon4509
There is a lot of pressure in our society for people with a mental illness. It can feel like everyone is telling you what to do and nobody care whether you can do all of it. I particularly understand the pressure to perforn well at work. Just doing your job is enough for you sometimes and additional stress is not needed. I hope society will learn more about mental illness and the limits it poses for us.
A pressure of having to feel completely functional on day to day tasks and being questioned of why you cannot fully function in proper order. It can definitely feel alientating when you are made to feel alone in such a negating routine as if others dont suffer along those pathways as well.
Woop!
just passing by...
and look about somethings to be read in this thread...
Well, according to my pov => the key of the problem was accepting the reality as it is, I mean accepting ourself, but mostly we use to like denial mostly since it is common for us to find.
Being expected to participate in social events with work....
@Proxalina
Good point!
I am struggling with my work colleagues at present, again. I feel like I don't belong. I really don't like forcing the chit chat, the gossip drives me nuts and the 'bonding' being forced...thats ridiculous. Even meetings are taken over by larger personalities.
I hang in there. It's a job and I am thankful I have work atm.
I can't leave home....because I'm afraid of what I can't control....What I can't expect....And horrible things that happen everyday on News.
One societal pressure would be trying to please everyone, for example ... you try to compromise your health and sanity to be
@AbbyHarris1976
Wow Abby that is so true.Thank you for another incredible post.
