A study done at the University Of Arizona revealed that people speak, on average, about 16,000 words per day.
That’s a lot of words!
What’s even more interesting is that contrary to popular belief, both men and women speak approximately the same number of words.
So vocabulary is a big part of our everyday existence.
But did you know that vocabulary can signal, and affect, depression?
Often when we think of depression, we tend to think of the pain and sadness associated with it. But we typically don’t think of the language associated with it. Yet language and vocabulary are very much a part of depression.
Let’s start with the two words we are dissecting: vocabulary and depression.
Vocabulary is defined as the stock of words used by or known to a particular people or group of persons. And depression is defined as a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason.
Now that we understand the basics lets dig deeper.
WHY YOUR VOCABULARY MATTERS
When you’re depressed, the vocabulary that you use can have a direct effect on your depression.
Your vocabulary can also be a signal depression. How (the style) you speak and what (the content) you talk about, both out loud and inside your mind, can have a powerful effect on your psyche. Even when you’re not in a state of depression, the words you choose can still affect how you perceive the world and your own life within it.
We tend to be fixated on thoughts and emotions (rightfully so) as related to depression and mental health, but your vocabulary is the reflection of those thoughts and emotions. Your words bind the thoughts and emotions together. The Cognitive Triangle teaches us that thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected. And since language is the way we speak (both to ourselves and others) about the thoughts, emotions, and actions we are experiencing, it plays a significant role in our mental health.
EXAMPLES
You may notice a friend who recently broke up with their partner and is depressed.
When you ask, “How are you doing?”
They respond with “Awful!” Or “I hate my life!”
Although these are understandable responses to breaking up with someone, they might not understand how their language is sabotaging their efforts to grieve and heal.
Another example would be someone stuck in a job they hate.
They have a family to feed, bills to pay, and feel as though they are trapped in a dead-end career with no passion or excitement. After a while, they may become distraught and even depressed.
They will say things such as, “I’ll never get out of this job!” or “I hate going to that stupid job!”
Their language is becoming a barrier to finding a solution to the problem they face because it’s only adding to their suffering and pain.
Instead, if they replaced it with “My job certainly isn’t perfect, but it pays the bills!” The power of meaning behind that statement, gratitude, as opposed to anger and resentment, helps get our minds in a healthier place.
I can remember one time in my own life when I was struggling through depression, and I couldn’t get out of my way.
My thoughts and my language were immersed in negativity, judgments, and fear.
I would think, “I’m not good enough” or “I’m so f**king sick of feeling this way,” and it would only bring me deeper into my depressed state. It’s like trying to untie your shoelace and creating an even bigger knot. But there are ways to break it down and change the way you speak.
HOW VOCABULARY REFLECTS DEPRESSION
PRONOUNS
Let’s brush up on our elementary school language classes.
Pronouns – remember them?
A pronoun is a small set of words in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases and whose referents are named or understood.
Here is where it gets interesting.
There are three groups of pronouns; first-person pronouns such as “I” and “me”; second-person pronouns such as “you”; and third-person pronouns such as “they.”
It’s simple – people who are generally more depressed, or suffering from mild depression compared to normal sadness, tend to use different vocabulary. More specifically, there is some evidence that people tend to use first-person pronouns such as “I” and “me” more often. One of the reasons this could be true is because a depressed person has a difficult time seeing outside of their subjective world.
VERBS
Another area of language that is different for that of a depressed person is the use of verbs. A verb, which is defined as a word that characteristically is the grammatical center of a predicate and expresses an act, occurrence, or mode of being. So mostly, verbs are words that denote actions.
A depressed person tends to use different verbs, especially as it relates to their moods. A mood in a language is characterized by the relationship that the speaker has to the idea conveyed by the verb. There are three associated moods: the indicative, the imperative, and the subjunctive.
A quick breakdown of each.
Indicative: noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used for ordinary objective statements, questions, etc.
Imperative: noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used in commands, requests, etc.
Subjunctive: noting or pertaining to a mood or mode of the verb that may be used for subjective, doubtful, hypothetical, or grammatically subordinate statements or questions
People experiencing depression tend to use self-critical thoughts in the indicative tense: “I’m definitely going to get dumped.” The indicative tense presents the situation as being inevitable, or matter of fact. This suggests that people with depression can often get stuck in an indicative mood (certainties) rather than a subjective mood (potentials).
CHALLENGING YOUR DESTRUCTIVE THOUGHTS
The indicative thoughts can be challenged by thinking more subjunctively and using words such as could, possibly, and might.
This type of subjunctive thinking lends to the idea of possibility, which can be used to view our story differently.
The language we use in depression can be destructive and self-critical.
We may say things like “You’re NOT good enough” or “Why bother getting help?”
This type of negative based self-talk can have a paralyzing effect on our depression, keeping us from creating an atmosphere of healing. Instead, focus on saying things such as “Keep on going” or “You are worth it” and giving yourself hope and a possibility for healing.
It can be challenging when you’re in a dark mental place to observe your language. But making little changes and tweaking your language can make a difference in your mood. Be mindful, be aware, and keep an eye on your words.
IN REVIEW
When you start by dissecting your internal language and vocabulary, you begin to release yourself from the chains that bind you to the unnecessary long term suffering and sadness. This can be extremely difficult when you’re immersed in pain and heartache. Depression can be a ruthless adversary. But every tiny change you make does help. Language and vocabulary are just one piece to the puzzle. Use them wisely.
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