Depression and immobilization

An experience of depression can sometimes include feelings of apathy, pessimism, and lack of motivation. These lethargic stuck feelings can be so painful.

It can be helpful to think of apathetic feelings more as protective parts rather than states of being. For example, we can turn toward this part of you who wants to shut you down or immobilize you, and begin to offer it some attention. Perhaps we can locate it in the body, and even invite an inner dialogue. What does it want you to know? What is important about these feelings of apathy, or stuckness or anhedonia? What is this part afraid of if it didn’t have to do this job of inviting you to feel depressed? What does it need from you?

Inevitably, an inner dialogue helps to unfold why this part is trying to protect you by inviting depression into your experience. Most of the time, we have other hurt parts deep inside–often involving very sensitive and childlike parts who have been hurt or who feel shame, grief or fear. Because these feelings are so painful, we resist the feelings, and can use depression or anxiety as a distraction strategy. Becoming immobilized may be a way for your system to protect itself from feeling these painful parts.

The inner work is to learn more about your protectors and exiles, and unburden your system, so the part of you who has taken on this job of shutting you down no longer needs to protect you in this way.