What is Depression?

 

Most people experience feelings of sadness in their lives either from stress or due to significant life events such as loss of a relationship or loss of a job. But depression is more than just feelings of sadness and temporary difficulty in coping with life stressors. Depression is a set of symptoms that could include sadness, but is also associated with feeling “low,” lack of motivation and a decrease in productivity, along with many other behavior changes. Depression could be as short as a few weeks to long-lasting for several years. At Couch Conversations Psychotherapy and Counseling, we offer education about the symptoms of depression to inform you of all the possible ways your symptoms might be impacting you, and develop a plan to help manage those symptoms more effectively.

 

How Do I Know I am Experiencing Depression?

 

Have you ever felt like you cannot move on from a significant situation from your past? Maybe you spend a majority of your free time ruminating about something that happened weeks, months, or even years ago? One way of experiencing depression is being stuck in your past. It seems that no matter what you try to do, you are living in the world of your past. 

 

If you're like most people, you ruminate about the past to try to figure out if there is something that could have been done differently. While this might help in identifying areas of future growth and problem solving, the act of rumination keeps you stuck in the past and largely, is not helpful. If you are stuck in your past, that means you are not living in your present moment and missing out on the only things that you genuinely can control and change in your life. 

 

How Can Therapy Help with My Depression?

 

Psychotherapy has been found to be effective in treating symptoms of depression. When you are ready to take the next steps in your healing journey, your Couch Conversations therapist can help you to explore your past, which could offer relief from your emotional pain. Your treatment will not only focus on your past, but also on what changes you could make in your current situation to reduce unhelpful thought patterns, decrease avoidance behaviors, and improve your overall mood.

 

Treating your depression could be one of the hardest, but most rewarding things that you do to make positive changes in your life. It takes some time and commitment to the treatment process, but the possibility of being able to get your life back on track is worth the investment. If you're tired of letting your depression stop you from doing the things you want to do, it's time to take the next steps in your healing journey and CONTACT US

to be connected with your Couch Conversations psychotherapist.

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Learn more about how we can help with Grief and Loss.