Therapy for Depression
Depression can be a very painful revolving door.
Depression is hard. Sometimes, it's really hard.
Anyone can experience depression. It doesn't just impact people with a family history of depression, a traumatic event in their past, or a particularly difficult life in the present.
The experience of depression can often lead to a challenging cycle of low motivation, anxiety, isolation, guilt, self-judgement, decreased engagement, and more unhappiness. Many people who experience depression feel bad about feeling bad and get stuck in feedback loops of self-critical and judgmental thinking about how they're feeling, which leads to more self-criticism and judgement, and so on . . .
It's very common for depression to lead to the following kinds of thoughts:
"I don't have any reason to complain; my life is fine. I shouldn't be down or depressed, and besides, other people have it a lot worse than me."
"I'm being petty; I shouldn't feel upset about this thing that's bothering me so much. Yes, things were bad in the past, but I should be over it by now. I'm just making excuses."
"I need to force myself to do things. I'm being lazy. I need to get motivated and not have a bad attitude."
"I should be able to get a grip on these feelings; it's not that bad. I'm just being whiny because my problems are nothing compared to what's happening in the world."
"I don't have the right to be depressed."
People experiencing depression frequently minimize their "right" to feel badly because they can't identify a "reason" that seems "bad enough" to feel the way they're feeling.
But just because you don't see a reason doesn't mean there isn't one.
Self-judgment can keep you stuck in the depression cycle.
Maybe these kinds of self-judgements or other fears have kept you from getting life-changing help. Or maybe the molasses-like traction of depression has kept you stuck despite your best intentions and efforts.
Therapy for depression will compassionately engage all the aspects of your experience – physical, mental, social – to help you develop useful insight and sustainable tools for experiencing your feelings without becoming stuck in them; coping with difficult internal and external states; and
Here are some common symptoms of depression.
Depression is commonly associated with feeling "down," withdrawn, and lacking motivation. However, depending on the individual, depression symptoms can look quite different. Some individuals experience feelings of self-hatred, irritability, agitation, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, or hopelessness.
Physically, there can be a change in appetite (under or over-eating), difficulty sleeping, and stomach issues. Sometimes, depression can make one wish to sleep forever rather than wake up to a new day.
Severe depression can result in angry outbursts, feelings of impending doom, despondency, or even suicidal thoughts.
What is it like to get therapy for depression?
Therapy for depression is a collaborative process. The therapist will help you investigate the source and nature of your depression, and will be able to help you see some connections about your depression-related beliefs, perspectives, and behavior patterns that are likely to surprise you.
As you gain more and more insight and awareness about the hard-to-see psychological processes that maintain and even worsen depression.
Throughout the process, your therapist will fully engage with you and provide warm support. That includes helping you set realistic goals for achieving great results.
Your therapist will also introduce you to practical/tactical skills you can start using right away to alleviate your depression symptoms. Some of these skills will be ones you use in therapy as well as in the rest of your life. You and your therapist will regularly evaluate if these skills are contributing to alleviating your depression symptoms, and continue to add new skills where needed.
Feeling depressed doesn't have anything to do with gratitude.
Yes, gratitude is a good thing. It's also common for our gratitude-first culture to create feelings of guilt and shame when we feel sad, withdrawn, bitter, grief-stricken, or downright depressed despite the great things we've got going for us.
Feeling depressed doesn't make you ungrateful or petty. It means you feel depressed and that something important is going on inside of you or in your life. No matter how great things "should" make you feel, your experience matters.
Don't try to overcome your depression alone. We can identify the cause and design an approach that meets your needs. Let's talk.
People Also Ask
What exactly happens in depression?
Depression refers to an overall experience that often starts with a difficult or series of difficult events. However, what sustains depression after these initial experiences are psychological processes (ways of thinking about the event that we often default to as we try and avoid further hurt); and sometimes, associated changes in brain chemistry. The psychological and biological features of depression often create a kind of "revolving door" effect in which both processes reinforce one another, creating a feedback loop that can feel very stuck.
Does therapy actually work for depression?
Yes, it really can. Here's a link to an excellent review by the American Psychological Association about the effectiveness of therapy in treating depression: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/09/ce-corner-depression You can also find excellent research on the effectiveness of therapy for depression in the databases of the National Institutes of Health research databases at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov or the American Psychological Association at https://www.apa.org. Just enter "depression treatment" or a similar phrase in the site's search bar.
Which type of therapy tends to be the best for depression?
Based on the available research (which is quite extensive), the American Psychological Association recommends the following types of therapy and interventions: Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Supportive Therapy.
Based on an assessment of your unique needs, experience of depression, and goals, a good depression therapist will utilize the therapeutic approaches that are most in alignment with getting you the results you want from your therapy experience.
How long do people stay in therapy for depression?
People seeking depression treatment vary in how long they need therapy in order to reach their goals. Some factors important factors are how long they have been experiencing depression, the severity of their symptoms, and their level of participation in therapy. Many people who benefit from therapy for depression also find that after they no longer need regular sessions, occasional as-needed sessions are incredibly helpful in maintaining their progress. Others get what they need and never look back.
What if therapy isn't enough for depression?
Some people - under the supervision of a doctor or other appropriately licensed professional - want to learn more about trying medication for depression, in addition to therapy. As therapists aren't prescribers, if you're interested in an evaluation for medication therapies, your therapist may be able to provide you with information about how to access the appropriate medical professional and see if medication for depression is right for you.
Can you lead a normal life with depression?
Many people who have been diagnosed with, have experienced, or continue to experience episodes of depression also have great lives. Learning to cope with depression and manage depression symptoms when they do come up so that you can live the life you want - whatever "normal" means to you - is a goal that many people reach every day.