Depression 101: Understanding and Working With It

Depression Isn’t Weakness.

Depression isn’t a moral failing, laziness, or a flaw in character.

It’s a mood, a bigger pattern of nervous system shutdown signaling that something in life feels stuck, unsafe, or disconnected.

That heavy chest, low energy, and sluggish motivation aren’t random….

They’re your body saying, “Pay attention. Something needs to change.”

From a Polyvagal perspective, depressive moods arise when the nervous system settles into a sustained shutdown state. The social engagement system withdraws, motivation dips, and energy is conserved.

This is protective: when life feels unpredictable or overwhelming, your system retreats to keep you safe…but the cost is feeling numb, disconnected, or stuck.

When The Nervous System Shuts Down

Depression often isn’t triggered by a single catastrophic event. More commonly, it emerges quietly through the accumulation of everyday stress that never fully resolves. To understand this, it helps to look at how an ordinary day can gradually overwhelm the nervous system and lead to shutdown.

You wake up already tired, not fully rested. Your phone has notifications waiting before you’re out of bed. You skip breakfast because you’re running late. Traffic is heavier than usual. At work, a vague email arrives with no clear expectations. Your body stays slightly braced all morning with shallow breathing, a tight chest, and tension in your jaw. Nothing dramatic happens, but your nervous system remains in low-grade threat without relief.

By early afternoon, the system reaches its limit. A small stressor lands, a minor criticism, a delayed response, a change of plans, and instead of mobilizing, everything drops. Motivation fades. Thinking slows. Emotional flatness sets in. The pull is toward withdrawal, scrolling, sleep, or isolation.

What looks like depression or apathy from the outside is often a nervous system conserving energy after prolonged strain.

Prelude to Depressive Episodes

Childhood experiences and early parenting can shape these reactive patterns. Repeated exposure to misattuned care, neglect, or relational inconsistency can sensitize the nervous system toward withdrawal or freeze under stress.

Significant life events such as loss, illness, or trauma can reinforce the same response.

Over time, these automatic shutdown responses can become familiar, organizing mood, energy, and motivation in ways that resemble depression. Most people respond by withdrawing or distracting themselves, which often deepens the mood. A more effective approach is to notice what is happening, understand the pattern without self-judgment, and experiment with the kinds of stimulation that support the nervous system rather than overwhelm it.

How to work with depressive moods:

1. Name it. Label what you’re feeling. Don’t just say, “I’m depressed.” Identify specific thoughts, losses, or frustrations. Naming the mood gives your mind and body clarity and starts to move you out of automatic shutdown.

2. Break it down. Depression feels like a mountain. Identify small, actionable steps—movement, connection, or meaningful activity—that signal safety and progress to your nervous system. Small wins matter.

3. Move and connect. Your nervous system is like Goldilocks’ porridge: too little stimulation, too much, or just right. Experiment to find what calms or energizes you. Walk, stretch, dance, reach out to safe people, or engage in creative work. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s “just right” for your current state. These are neural recalibration tools.

4. Use it as feedback. Depressive moods point to areas of life that are misaligned with your values, goals, or needs. Notice what’s missing, explore meaning, and take small steps toward purpose and connection.

The Bottom Line…

Depressive moods are not weakness—they’re a signal from your nervous system and life history. Pay attention, experiment with movement and social connection until you find the “just right” stimulation, break down what matters, and take deliberate steps. Your mood is a compass—use it to recalibrate, reconnect, and reclaim your energy and purpose.