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The Mental Breakdown: More Than Sad - The Truth About Major Depressive Disorder
11 Plays3 months ago
Welcome to this episode of The Mental Breakdown, a short and intentional weekly mental health space by Sol Well, designed to raise awareness, spark reflection, and offer practical support—one topic at a time.
This week, we’re breaking down Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) — a clinical diagnosis that’s often misunderstood, misused, or masked by shame and silence, especially in Black and Brown communities and among mothers.
We unpack:
- What MDD really is, and how it differs from temporary sadness or “feeling down.”
- The core symptoms and criteria used for diagnosis — including emotional, physical, and cognitive impacts.
- How MDD shows up in the lives of moms, especially those navigating pressure to appear strong or “hold it all together.”
- The barriers and disparities faced by Black and Brown women in getting properly screened, diagnosed, and treated.
- The harm of toxic positivity and why gratitude isn’t a cure for depression.
- Culturally responsive treatment options and support approaches that can help.
- An intentional “Mood Check-In” grounding practice and an affirmation to close out the episode.
Whether you’re silently navigating depression, suspect you or a loved one may be living with MDD, or simply want to better understand this condition — this episode offers a grounded, validating, and practical breakdown of a very real experience.
Mentioned Stats & Resources:
- American Psychiatric Association: Racial disparities in diagnosis and care
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – MDD overview: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
- Mental Health America (MHA): https://mhanational.org/conditions/depression
- Therapy for Black Girls – Therapist directory and mental health support: https://www.therapyforblackgirls.com
- Postpartum Support International (PSI) – Resources for maternal mental health: https://www.postpartum.net
Connect + Support
If this episode resonated with you or someone you love, share it, DM Autumn, or join our village at Sol Well. It take a village to raise a mother🩺
Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please speak with a licensed provider for support tailored to you.
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Transcript
Introduction to Mental Health Awareness and MDD
00:00:13
Speaker
Hey mamas and welcome back to the So Well podcast. This is the third segment of the Mental Breakdown, a short and intentional space where we unpack and dig deep into one mental health topic a week that impacts our community.
00:00:27
Speaker
I'm Autumn Colon, your host, founder of So Well, counselor in training and maternal mental health advocate. For the month of May, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we have been discussing each week different mental health disorders.
00:00:41
Speaker
So for this week, we're going to be talking about something that's way more common than people realize, and that is major depressive disorder, also known as MDD. I'm titling this episode more than sad because let's be real, depression is not about just being sad.
00:01:01
Speaker
It's about living with a fog, a heaviness, and sometimes a total numbness, and i want us to destigmatize what depression is. And so the hope with this episode is to give you a little bit of fact information just to break it down.
00:01:17
Speaker
All right, so let's get into
Understanding and Diagnosing MDD
00:01:19
Speaker
it. An estimated of 21 million adults in the United States, about 8.3% experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year.
00:01:30
Speaker
So this is a prevalent and present issue. So what's the difference between depression, or being sad, and MDD? First things first, let's clear something up. When people say I'm depressed, they often are describing having a bad day or feeling down and potentially feeling sad.
00:01:51
Speaker
And those feelings and those experiences are totally valid. Sadness is a normal part of being a human being. But major depressive disorder is a clinical diagnosis and it goes beyond having just a bad day or even a bad week.
00:02:06
Speaker
MDD is more than a passing emotion. It is a medical condition that requires deeper support. So what's the difference between depression and MDD?
00:02:17
Speaker
Let's clear something up real quick because depression gets thrown around a lot, but there's a big difference between feeling depressed and actually living with major depressive disorder. You can feel down or sad after a breakup or a loss or having a rough week But those feelings are temporary.
00:02:34
Speaker
Someone living with MDD is more than just sadness for them. It sticks around for at least two weeks, often much longer, and it doesn't always have a clear cause. When you're just going through a rough patch, your mood might go up and down.
00:02:49
Speaker
Maybe you have a good cry. ah know i know I've had those days. But with md and with MDD, it's like a cloud that doesn't lift. The low mood is there nearly all day, every day, and can get in the way of your life.
00:03:05
Speaker
We're talking exhaustion, changes in appetite, trouble sleeping, trouble focusing, and sometimes not even being able to get out of bed. MDD can affect your work or relationships and even how you show up as a parent.
00:03:18
Speaker
So no, this isn't just a funk or feeling sad because when sadness becomes your baseline and functioning gets harder, we're in a different territory. Some of the symptoms, like I mentioned, can include low energy, fatigue, persistent low mood and numbness, lack of interest or pleasure in things you once enjoyed, appetite or sleep changes, difficulty concentrating, physical aches with no medical explanation, or thoughts of suicidal um thoughts of suicidal experiences or self-harm. To qualify for a diagnosis, you only need five of these, lasting most of the day, nearly every day, for two weeks or more.
Cultural Sensitivity in MDD Diagnosis
00:03:59
Speaker
But let's actually dig into diagnosis here because this is where it gets complicated for Black and brown moms. According to the American Pediatric Association, Black and Latinx adults are less likely to be diagnosed with depression and more likely to be misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.
00:04:19
Speaker
MDD is diagnosed through clinical evaluation, which is where your provider takes a look that look takes a look at your symptoms and duration and impact on your daily life. But here's the problem that we're talking about here when we talk about women of color.
00:04:34
Speaker
Many women of color aren't being properly screened and are being misdiagnosed or not treated at all. We're often told that we're just tired, irritable, stressed, or our emotional pain gets dismissed as being strong or angry.
00:04:51
Speaker
Moms of color are less likely to be asked about mental health during their pregnancy or postpartum, and when we do so and when we do speak up, we're sometimes met with judgment, not care. This contributes to delayed diagnosis, untreated symptoms, and greater suffering in silence.
00:05:07
Speaker
We need care that listens, that sees us, that doesn't assume strength means we don't need support. I'm in my soft girl era. Help me.
00:05:20
Speaker
We need assessments that honor our culture and more importantly, more care providers who practice cultural humility.
MDD's Impact on Motherhood
00:05:28
Speaker
Now,
00:05:30
Speaker
Let's back it up a little bit and talk about motherhood because MDD doesn't stop or pause when you become a mom. In fact, it can become even harder to recognize and talk about.
00:05:42
Speaker
As a mom, you're expected to be a nurturing parent. You're expected to be present, strong, selfless, have it all together, honey. But what happens when you aren't holding it together?
00:05:53
Speaker
Depression in moms often shows up in silence. It looks like going through the motions while feeling disconnected, snapping at your kids when they're laughing, snapping at your kids and then spiraling into guilt, struggling to get out of bed but doing it anyway because little lives depend on you.
00:06:11
Speaker
Anybody? Anybody here? Because that's real. The weight of MDD and the weight of the clinical depression is heavy, not just because of the symptoms, but because of the expectation as a mom to hide them.
00:06:25
Speaker
And for black and brown moms, there's the added pressure of having to appear strong and like super mom all the time. We often get told, you got this girl, instead of let me help you.
00:06:39
Speaker
We deserve to be seen in our struggle and not shamed for it. We deserve safe spaces to say this is hard because motherhood is ghetto and I need support.
00:06:52
Speaker
Motherhood and depression are both deeply human experiences and you are not less of a mother if you are living with MDD. You are a mother doing her best while carrying an invisible load and you shouldn't have to carry it alone.
00:07:06
Speaker
Find your village or join ours. No, seriously. Like, seriously, I mean it. Like, DM me. yeah My DM, my my my Instagram, I'm everywhere, Autumn Co, because I will be your village.
00:07:20
Speaker
Support is out there and you do not have to do it alone.
Overcoming Stigma with Support
00:07:24
Speaker
Another stigma that I want us to break down is the toxic positivity trope and the pressure to just be grateful or stay positive.
00:07:33
Speaker
These messages, often shared with love by our friends, our family, and our caregivers, can be harmful, but they silence real emotion and create shame around struggle.
00:07:45
Speaker
You can love your life, your kids, your family, and still be depressed. You can have a good job, a beautiful home, and still struggle to feel joy.
00:07:55
Speaker
That doesn't make you ungrateful. That makes you human, mama. That makes you human. And that is okay. MDD is treatable and there's no one size fits all answer.
00:08:07
Speaker
What matters is finding the combination that works for All right, so what does support look like? There are several options that you can take when looking to get support for your clinical depression or MDD.
00:08:22
Speaker
There's culturally competent talk therapy with practices like CBT, DBT, EMDR, the list goes on. There's antidepressant medication such as SSRIs.
00:08:33
Speaker
There's mindfulness and body-based healings, practices like yoga and sound healing. There's peer support and support groups like joining the Soul Well community or finding someone stop finding the local community in your area.
00:08:47
Speaker
There's also lifestyle changes like sleep, nutrition, taking your vitamins, making sure that you are seeing and feeling the sun on your skin, honey. Vitamin d is important.
00:08:58
Speaker
Most importantly, to get started, you want to speak with your doctor or therapist about what you're feeling and get the support you need.
Conclusion and Grounding Practice
00:09:08
Speaker
All right. So our grounding practice of the week is the mood check-in. What I want you to do right now, get comfortable.
00:09:18
Speaker
And if you can't do it right now, come back to this later. But what you're going to do is you're going to close your eyes. You're going to place your hand on your chest or your belly. and ask yourself, what emotion am I carrying right now?
00:09:33
Speaker
And what do need? Just noticing is a form of healing. Just standing still and pausing to recognize where you are and how you are feeling is enough.
00:09:49
Speaker
If you've been wondering if your feeling is more than sad, trust yourself. It doesn't mean you're broken. It means your brain, body, and nervous system are asking for care.
00:10:02
Speaker
And as we close today, I want to leave you with an affirmation. Repeat it after me or write it down. I honor my unique emotional landscape.
00:10:13
Speaker
I am resilient, capable, and deserving of peace and stability. Take what you need from today. And if you feel moved, share this episode with someone who may be quietly carrying too much.
00:10:26
Speaker
Thank you for joining me on the mental breakdown. Until next time, take care of your mind. ah hope you heal well and I'll see you next time on the So Well Podcast.
00:10:41
Speaker
The So Well Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. And the content shared here is based on personal experiences and research, and it should not be taken as medical or therapeutic advice.
00:10:54
Speaker
Please consult a qualified professional for any mental health or medical concerns.