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Depression
Depression is more than feeling sadness. In most cases depression symptoms pass with a little time. However, when depression interferes with your daily life it affects how you function. Depression is treatable, even in the most severe cases.
Symptoms of depression
- Constant sadness
- Feeling empty
- Feeling hopeless
- Feeling guilt / worthlessness
- Loss interest in things you once found pleasure in
- Difficulty concentrating or remembering
- Sleep difficulty
- Appetite change
- Thoughts of no wanting to exist
- Irritability
- Feeling as if I failed
Factors that have a role in depression
Depression can occur at any age, and many factors play a role. These factors can range from genetics, to brain biology, to life experiences such as trauma, loss of a loved one, difficulty in a relationship, childhood pain, or a variety of stressful events. Searching for ways to deal with your depression is a common issue that people come to counseling for.
As we get older it may be harder to recognize the signs of depression, because depression shows up differently. The symptoms may be less obvious. In adults, depression can show up as feeling tired, issues with sleep, feeling grumpy or irritable all the time. Grief can also mask depression. Grief after the loss of a loved one because of a break up, divorce, or death is normal behavior, yet when grief lasts for a long time it may turn into depression.
Depression may also look different in genders. Men tend to complain about fatigue, irritability, sleep issues, and lost interest in things they once had pleasure in. They are also more likely to have higher symptoms of anger and substance abuse. Women tend to express guilt, inability to get out of bed, or overeating. Women also tend to state that they have found themselves crying often for no reason.
Depression can feel as if you feel nothing; no emotion, no fear, no anger, and no pleasure. Maybe you have been told to “just snap out of it, get over it, you have to do something.” Depression can leave you with not knowing what to do and not having any motivation, so life becomes hard.
Thoughts that prevent therapy
I am embarrassed to tell someone my problems. Maybe you feel your problems are small, that only “crazy people” go to therapy, or you are worried what your family and friends would say if they knew you were seeing a therapist. What might be occurring is that the shame of seeking therapy is preventing you from moving forward. Your decision to seek out help to overcome your depression is the exact opposite of weakness or being “crazy.” It is courageous.
I have been feeling this way for so long that I do not know where to begin. You do not need to know what to talk about when you come to therapy. In therapy, we look at how you think, feel and your behavior. I will help guide you through that process to identify these areas and help you discuss them. It can feel terrifying not knowing if therapy will work, or how to begin. Helping you to understand the underlying reasons for your depression could give you relief.
I do not believe that just talking about my depression will be any help. Talking about your depression can actually do a lot of good in helping you deal with your depression. Being able to discuss with a person who cares and is not judgmental can help relieve the the symptoms of depression. It can also help relieve the emotional distress caused by holding your thoughts and feelings to yourself. ALSO, counseling involves much more than just talking. It provides us with an opportunity to understand who we are and how we relate to the world. We may focus attention on experiences that you may have been previously unaware of. This can provide a new way of looking at your problem(s), while often times giving us new ways of handling these issues.
How depression counseling can help
Helping you to understand the underlying cause of your depression may help you overcome depression. When you feel depressed, it can feel like there is no light coming through the clouds. Feeling better takes time, but through support you can make positive changes. With counseling you may begin to understand your depression and begin to motivate yourself to take the necessary actions to prevent it from reoccurring. Feeling better can take time, and it is possible to get there with making positive changes.
