We all have our down days and everyone feels a bit sad from time to time. There’s nothing wrong with feeling sad. It’s one of the basic emotions that make us all human.
However, there’s a big difference between feeling a bit blue or the temporary sadness or grief that normally accompany a loss and chronic or severe depression.
Depression – also called clinical depression, depressive disorder, and major depression – is a medical condition that affects our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, as well as our physical health and well-being.
Depression often results in feelings of anxiety and lethargy, thoughts of hopelessness and helplessness, as well as poor self-image, and can lead to a variety of additional emotional and physical problems, including alcoholism, substance abuse, and even suicidal ideation.
And, in case that isn’t depressing enough, people with depression also commonly experience difficulties expressing their emotions, communicating with others, working effectively, enjoying normally pleasant social activities, and experiencing emotional and sexual intimacy.
Fortunately, no one has to suffer never-ending feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
With the right help and support, even the most severe depressions are treatable … you CAN learn to move forward again in life with confidence and optimism, and depression counseling can help.
Professional counseling and psychotherapy can be extremely effective at helping people cope with and overcome depression. In fact, research has indicated that therapy combined with medication (if needed) is more effective than medication alone for treating depression in most people.
Treating depression with counseling and psychotherapy can help you:
- Regain your ability to focus and concentrate
- Restore a sense of control and pleasure to your life
- Become more engaged with friends and family
- Stop avoiding social situations
- Change the thoughts and feelings that lead to a pessimistic outlook
- Increase your feelings of self-worth
- Feel hopeful about the future
Through a process of self-examination, the depression counseling and therapy services I provide can also help you set realistic goals and relieve the immediate symptoms of your depression, determine the underlying causes and triggers of your depression, and re-frame any distorted thoughts or beliefs that contribute to your depression so you can minimize the likelihood of depression recurring down the road.
If you believe you or someone you know is suffering from depression, it’s important to seek professional help and treatment.
Depression doesn’t just “go away,” and having even one episode of depression greatly increases the risk of having more.
While there aren’t any quick fixes for depression, if you’re willing to invest the time and energy necessary to succeed, depression counseling and psychotherapy can help you attain the insight and self-awareness necessary to take back control of your life and make sure you’re creating the life you want!
I encourage you to contact me today at jason@jasonesswein.com or at 408-975-2982 to ask any questions you have and learn how professional counseling and therapy can help you cope with and overcome depression.