Depression And Mindfulness Talk

There are states of mind that words struggle to reach — and depression is one of them. This talk, part of Daily Practice with Nikhil, doesn't try to explain it away or wrap it in comfort. Instead, it sits with it. It asks what presence, awareness, and a gentler kind of attention can offer when the usual tools fall short. Come as you are.

Transcript

Hi, Good morning, Farnas. Hi, C. It might be difficult, But there is always something you can be grateful for. And that is the practice, Noticing those things. It may be hard, But we can get through it. So I invite you to take that moment, Maybe reflect, Not just looking at what is being going wrong, Simply just noting what are the things which may be right. So many things which is right, Like you are here practicing, You are changing your life, And others may not be in the same boat as you. So let them not be. Good morning, C. Warm home and gale force windstorms. Yeah, I mean, Yes, There is this element of, Yeah, Location and how, Yeah, So some things which are not accessible. So yeah, Welcome. Welcome, Everyone. Hi, Swamya. So yeah, Today we will be talking mainly about, About mindfulness and depression, And it's not going to be a talk about depression. I am not a medical doctor, And I am clearly not able to diagnose anyone or talk about depression from a clinical sense. So if you feel depressive symptoms, Or if you feel like you are in the battle of depression, I invite you to get the help out there. The help is there. So just reach out to whatever service providers you may have. But this is more about how I was able to manage my depressive symptoms over the course of few years, And maybe we will do a practice. We'll do a meditation, And it's not just about depression. It is about a practice that can help you soothe yourself. So yeah, I mean, That is amazing. Thank you for sharing that. Is it through that depression can't stand the light of awareness? It depends. It depends. I think awareness is amazing to have, And this is one of the things we'll be discussing in depression. When I was in my depressive cycles, Where I was completely numb to all sensation. I didn't feel like joy. I didn't feel like having fun. I didn't feel like waking up. I didn't feel like just doing things, Which caught me so much amount of joy. And that is when I knew something was different, And when awareness started to come in through mindfulness based practices, And other practices also bring you awareness. It's not just about mindfulness. But as soon as you start to build awareness, It is really, Really crucial. That is actually helpful, But depending on the condition, And what the situation is, And how far along the journey, It might need some external inputs also. And I love the story, Or I love your take on me looking like Virat Kohli. That is amazing. Thank you. Oh, Yes, I think I will take that. That is, I think that is, Yeah, You made my day. I don't know. Thank you, Samia. And he is my inspiration also. Appreciate it. Yeah, So let's talk about depression in a bit. So what is, Let's, Okay, Let's just get real. What is depression, And what is it not? So, So let's just get rid of the depression myths. So first thing, Depression myth is just feeling sad. Depression is just about feeling sad. Absolutely not. Depression is a complex medical condition, With a range of emotional, Physical, Cognitive, And behavioral symptoms. Second myth, Only weak people get depressed. It's far from true. Depression can affect anyone, Regardless of their strength or character, Their age, Gender, Socio-cultural, Financial relationship, Any situation. It can affect anyone. And the third one is the myth that if you just take antidepressants, It will solve everything. And as I said before, Antidepressants can be helpful, But they are not a cure-all, And often works best in conjunction with therapy, And other coping strategies, And also different practices. So it's not just, Don't be completely relied on antidepressants. It may work, It may not work. And yeah, There's so much, So much to talk about, But I wouldn't go deep into this, Because it's not, It's not the right platform. The other myth is, You can snap out of depression. Depression is a serious condition, And it's not something you can just snap out of. It's a, It requires professional help and support. The other myth, Which often gets sidelined, Is people with depression are just lazy. And this is a damning myth, And I think this is something we have to overcome. It can cause serious fatigue and lack of motivation, Making it difficult to function normally. So it's not just that they are lazy, It is that the physiological and psychological aspects of themselves have been shut down. So they are in a, Their inability to move, Or do the things they want to do. The other myth that is out there is, Depression is a normal part of life. And this can be like, While everyone experiences sadness, And depression is a, Not just sadness, As we said. So people might minimize depression. People might say, Oh, This is just normal. I was depressed yesterday. So that kind of myth. And the other one is more of a genetic one, Which we be, Which we say is, If a family member has depression, You will inevitably have it. It's kind of a genetic component. So while genetics can play a role, I'm not saying that it cannot, Depression is influenced by a combination of factors. And having a family history doesn't guarantee you will develop it. So just some myths out there. And the last one is a, Is also very important one, Which we have to put away, Is depression looks and feels the same for everyone. So people with depression show exactly the same symptoms. And this is far from the truth. And it's not no one, It's not one size fits all. It is what it is. So, So, You know, In order to, In order to work with depression, So one of the things which actually helped me is working mindfully with compassion, Kindness, As we discussed in the previous episodes as well. These are all the same, Same philosophies we've been practicing from day one. Acceptance, Loving-kindness, Compassion, Gratitude. Four pillars of awareness, Mindfulness, A path to healing. So how can mindfulness or how has mindfulness practices specifically helped me manage my depressive symptoms over time? It reduced the amount of rumination. So helps me break free from the cycle of negative thinking and rumination, Not entirely, But by encouraging a non-judgmental awareness of thoughts. And again this is known, This we know, But we are here to practice. So this is something which we will discuss. And with mindfulness over time, Practicing it daily by increasing awareness of emotions, Mindfulness allows us to respond to them more effectively, Reducing the intensity and impact. And the other thing which helped me while practicing many of the meditations we talked about here and on Insight Timer, On all the platforms out there, Is stress reduction. I think this is a big topic right now and mindfulness practices have proven more so than any other practice, I would argue, To promote relaxations and reduce stress which can improve mood and overall well-being without having any other forms of substances or drugs, Without any influence from outside. So yeah, It is important. The other thing which changed my relationship with depression is increased self-awareness. Mindfulness cultivates a deeper understanding of oneself, Including thoughts, Feelings and behaviors, Leading to greater self compassion and acceptance. The other aspect is, As I became more self-aware, Slowly things started to change. Slowly. It was slowly for me, But it doesn't have to be slow for everyone. But the idea is, Things became clearer, Things became more interesting and suddenly there was a shift, Albeit very slight one, Where I used to enjoy my morning coffee a bit more. Until then it used to be just something I did. Then I started to notice, Why am I enjoying my coffee more? And the answer was, Because I was cultivating self-awareness. I was bringing awareness to self and healing the parts of ourselves which needed healing. And being present is the number one aspect. This is it. If I were to just put one thing out there which encompasses everything I know, Is just be present. Be present for whatever it is that you do. So yeah, Healthier lifestyle, Lifestyle choices started to appear slowly. Self-compassion started to improve or I was becoming more compassionate about myself, Less outward focused, More inward focused. And then I joined many practice groups like the MBCT or Cognitive Therapy Mindfulness Based. I did a mindfulness based stress reduction course. All of those had step-by-step instructions to gain all of this. And it helped me prevent going back into that, Into that mind. And this is not overnight and this is not true for everyone. I have to caveat that. It is just my personal story but my point is that it is possible given the right circumstances, Right interventions for you to change the relationship to depression through mindfulness based practices. So the types of practices I did were simple, Very simple and we've talked about this a lot but I'll keep reminding ourselves. Mindful breathing, Body scan, Mindful walking, Mindful eating and loving kindness meditation specifically. This was in those dark days where I was not able to enjoy the things I used to enjoy for a long time which is the reason I was in that state. And slowly when I started to do these practices regularly I used to do each one of them every day for about five minutes to ten minutes. Slowly I started liking myself a little bit more each day. So just a word of note while it all sounds amazing and it might be something you may be feeling right now, There are some limitations and I would like to address some of the limitations with mindfulness. It's not a standalone. It has so much individual variability. So if you are feeling certain things and the other person doesn't, Yeah there's going to be changes and there is some potential for adverse effects. So in some cases mindfulness practices can increase your anxiety or emotional distress. That doesn't mean that everyone will have it. Yeah there'll be people who may find it difficult. For them it might not be the right thing right now. So I invite you to think about that. If this is not working for you, Don't do it. Do something else. Find something else. Talk to someone else. So it can also have a lot of interesting areas where people have been in trauma for example. So this is very crucial. So if you have been part of trauma or the big T trauma and you have to do mindfulness in a different way, In a trauma influenced or trauma, You have to trauma, You have to do it in a trauma sensitive. So you have to understand trauma is what I'm saying. And context matters. The context in which mindfulness is practiced can influence its effectiveness. So mindfulness used in therapeutic settings led by trained professionals may be more likely to produce desired results. So this is very crucial actually. A lot of us, Including myself, We just find the best fit and you just go with it. But if you want to really structure it, You might consider working in a step by step plan or routine or a program. So yeah, I mean that's those are the things which helped me overcome the relationship to my depressive episodes. And ever since I have not gone back into that cycle ever. And I of course I feel sad sometimes I feel anxious and all of that but never have I gone back into that phase for a long time. So I thank all of my practices. I'm grateful for finding these skills and practices, Very simple things at the right time to help me. So I encourage you to find that thing which may actually change your life. And it might seem that it is all lost, That you don't have it right now. But trust me, I trust many people. And you don't have to trust me, Sorry. You don't have to. Forget trust, Forget trust me. Trust the practice. Trust something which you think will help you and trust it and see what happens. So yeah, This has been a little bit of my story on how it has helped me. I have never been on any antidepressants. So I don't know the effects of that while doing this. So I cannot comment on it. But having spoken to few people, I think antidepressants can have a lot of different effects and side effects. And so yeah, Please consider working with your professional on that. But if it comes to mindfulness, You know where to find us. We'll be here practicing daily. So yeah, You can join us anytime. So now let's just, Let's just do a practice. Let's just do a practice now. Then we can discuss for a bit. So I invite you to close your eyes if that is convenient. If not, Leave it open. Soft gaze in front of you. You don't need to change anything. You don't need to fix anything. You don't need to do anything. Just be here. And if it feels like a heavy cloud right now, Let's remember that clouds move. If it feels like a storm, Even storm passes. And if it feels like a weight, Let's simply sit with it without judgment and explore what's beneath. Begin by noticing your breath. No need to change it. Just observe the natural rise and fall of your chest or the belly. Feel the weight of your body resting against the earth. Know that you are supported right now in this moment. Now bring your awareness to your hands. Without moving them, Simply notice them. Are they warm or cool? Resting or tense? Just observe without needing to adjust anything. Listen to the sounds around you. Notice each one as it comes and goes, Like waves on the shore. Beneath those sounds, Can you sense the silence that holds them all? What if just for today, You didn't have to fight how you feel? What if you simply allowed yourself to be exactly as you are? If your emotions were a visitor knocking at your door, Would you let them in? Would you keep pretending you're not home? It can feel like a storm, But can you find the stillness beneath it? Imagine that your emotions are like passing clouds in the sky. Some are light and wispy, Others heavy and dark. But no matter how thick the clouds are, The sky remains vast and open. Your awareness, Your true self is that sky. The thoughts, The sadness, The worry, They are just clouds and clouds always move. If your sadness had a voice, What would it say? Can you listen to it with kindness without trying to push it away? Now imagine wrapping this feeling of warmth like a soft blanket. You don't need to force it to leave, Just simply holding space for it. The same way you would do for a dear friend who is struggling. Now I invite you to place one hand gently over your heart, Feel its warmth, Feel its steady rhythm. It has been beating for you all along, Through every moment of joy, Every moment of struggle, It has been there. And even when your mind feels heavy, Your heart keeps showing up for you. So can you offer yourself that same kindness? And in this moment, Can you find just one tiny thing to be grateful for? Could be your breath, The fact that you showed up today, Even the feeling of the ground beneath you. No gratitude is too small. Slowly bring your awareness back to your breath. The gentle inhale and exhale. Breathing in, Know that you are alive. Breathing out, Breathing out, Know that you are enough. And when you are ready, Wiggle your fingers and toes, Take a deep nourishing breath. When it feels right, Gently open your eyes, If they were closed. Know that this space of stillness is always within you, Available whenever you need it. So thank you for being here today, For showing up for yourself, For allowing yourself to be. And thank you for being part of another daily practice live with me Nikhil. Hope this has been useful. Please leave your comments and thoughts and please share it with as many people as possible. So thank you.

Reviews

Thank you Nikhil. I listened later to your talk on mindfulness and depression. I have experienced depression in the past and as I am now in perimenopause I am also experiencing some challenges around mood and energy. You reminded me of the mindfulness practices that were so helpful to me in the past and I will start bringing one or two back in to support myself. The key takeaway from your talk for me was compassion towards myself and acceptance of my feelings. This was so helpful. Have a lovely day and thank you for sharing your experiences of depression. Each time a person shares their journey through depression, it helps so many others to realise they are not alone. 🙏