The following is a guest post by Daniel Bousho, author of Depression Help.
Depression has an uncanny way of disguising itself, very often making its appearance in the form of often-considered simple character flaws. Clinically, depression is diagnosed against a few indices – it’s a fairly clear cut thing. But many people are routinely depressed below the level of a clinical diagnosis. Often these people don’t realize that sitting at the center of their emotional issue is depression. A good example of mistaking depression for a character flaw is extreme indecisiveness.
What makes the situation of indecisiveness critical, is that the family support group surrounding the depressed person may reject the notion of depression, and simply expect that the depressed person incapable of rendering a decision. It’s simply part of their personality, so there is no reason for concern. In fact, sometimes the indecisiveness is viewed as a “quaint” character flaw. However, indecisiveness can indicate an internal struggle within the person revolving around deeper issues of self- criticism and self-worth.
Arron Beck, in his seminal work “Depression, Causes and Treatment” found indecisiveness in fully half of mildly depressed patients, and in severely depressed patients, nearly eighty percent reported extreme indecisiveness. While it is certainly possible to be indecisive about a number of things in life, it’s worth noting the relationship between indecision and depression to try and discover a deeper link between the two.
If a person simply can’t decide which color to paint a room because they may be developing a clash with furniture choices, or if they think a pantsuit with stripes may flatter them better than a solid one but aren’t sure, they are probably not in depressions grip. If, however, they find themselves literally paralyzed by the same notions, unable to render a decision to the point of physical discomfort then they may be in a situation requiring further intervention.
Clinicians consider two facets for this extreme indecisiveness. First, there exists fear of making the wrong decision. As with many things in depression, self-doubt takes center stage in most of its manifestations. It follows then, that when pressed for a decision, a self-doubting mind will hesitate before committing to a course of action. It seems that a “wrong” decision would confirm notions of self-doubt so it’s better to avoid the situation in the first place.
The second facet is what’s termed paralysis of the will, which may logically follow the fear of making the wrong decision. After some debate, the conclusion is that it’s better to do nothing than to take the chance at confirming a negative chain of thinking. It’s the paralysis of the will which is outwardly displayed, and is sometimes considered simply a harmless character flaw. However, if it’s severe, it can be more than harmless.
Understanding the difference between harmless indecision and severe paralysis of the will can be a critical distinction to make in the life of a depressed person. Care should be taken to understand completely why decisions evade the normal thinking process. If it seems that the situation is more than simple indecision and results in the shutting down of ability and will, it may be wise to seek professional intervention to discuss the possibility of depression.
Daniel Bousho is the author of the blog Depression Help as well as the e-book The Depression Help Kit. The Depression Help Kit is dedicated to helping you understand depression, and how you can master your moods. The book is available for purchase at depressionhelpkit.com/about.
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