Developing Depression Resilience Through Community
Depression is a diagnosable condition that can leave people feeling severely sad, empty, hopeless and or guilty for prolonged periods of time. Given that nobody is an island, how do we build a more connected society to build resilience to depression as a community?
Many psychologists have formed “mattering” into a psychological construct that uniquely predicts depression. Mattering is the feeling of being significant and important to other people (Flett et al., 2019). The protective role of feeling like you matter is key to psychological well-being and may be an important consideration in the prevention and intervention of depression symptoms according to a recent study by Krygsman (2022).
Gordon Flett of York University, Ontario, author of The Psychology of Mattering: Understanding the Human Need to Be Significant (2018) suggests that mattering overlaps with self-esteem, social support and a sense of belonging. A low sense of mattering can be addressed with therapy, as he suggests that “people can learn to engage with others in ways that foster their own sense of mattering,” however, prevention is better than cure and so building strong communities that foster connections are key.
Mattering is not only associated with less emotional distress, it is also linked with multiple indicators of positive adjustment. The pattern of findings is in keeping with the suggestion that mattering is a key resource factor that contributes to a heightened level of resilience in general, but especially when faced with interpersonal adversities and challenges.
Building Resilience To Depression Through Community
Talking To Someone Who Gets It
Niki Clarke founded the charity My Black Dog after years of battling clinical depression. All her volunteers have lived experiences and can provide an empathetic, non-judgemental space where everyone understands how it feels to experience mental health struggles. Its motto is ‘talk to someone who gets it’.
“I set up My Black Dog so you can talk to someone who has been through it before and gets it. Someone who knows what medication does to your body, someone who knows how bad it is when you cannot sleep. The volunteers at My Black Dog have a lived experience and they really do understand. We are not professionals but, in a way, that makes it easier to talk. It’s a softer landing. People are very good at fobbing themselves off. They say: ‘I’m fine, it’s not that important. I’m alright. I don’t want to see a doctor.’ They do that for so long and then they have a crash, and that’s when they talk to a GP and get put on a waiting list. By this point, it’s almost too late. Talking to someone earlier on who gets it might prevent a crash later on down the line. It’s a text chat not a phone line because I think sometimes saying these things out loud is really hard, even for me. I didn’t want to give someone another reason not to have a conversation that could make them feel less alone”
Read Niki Clarke’s Story In Your Mental Health
Research has shown that stress can lead to depression, with key factors in its impact including the intensity of the stress, its duration, recurrence and the presence of support systems according to Your Mental Health (2023).
Professor Ed Bullmore comments on how prevention is key to solving the depression ‘quiet crisis:’
Everyone’s stories and experiences of depression differ, but the ‘quiet crisis’ of depression shows the shame sufferers feel when they are experiencing symptoms of the condition. This highlights how important communities based around mental health support are in making people feel like they matter.
Support Resources
If you are experiencing symptoms of depression yourself, or are worried about someone who is, then you can contact:
Visit My Black Dog’s website here for peer-to-peer support for depression.
Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem
Visit Mind’s Get Help Now page
Sane offer support for both people experiencing mental illnesses and also their carers, friends and family.
You can call them every day between 4pm and 10pm on 0300 304 7000.
References
Flett, G., Khan, A. & Su, C. Mattering and Psychological Well-being in College and University Students: Review and Recommendations for Campus-Based Initiatives. Int J Ment Health Addiction 17, 667–680 (2019).
Flett, G.L. (2018). The psychology of mattering: Understanding the human need to be significant. Cambridge, MA: Academic Press/Elsevier.
Krygsman, Farrell , Brittain & Vaillancourt. Depression Symptoms, Mattering, and Anti-mattering: Longitudinal Associations in Young Adulthood Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. Vol. 40(1) 77–94 (2022)
