Everyone feels sad from time to time, but depression is more than that. Depression is extreme feelings of sadness and despair that can last for days on end, interfering with all aspects of life.
Depression isn’t something people can just snap out of, and it’s certainly not a sign of weakness. It is an illness that requires professional treatment, due to the high cost in terms of personal suffering, relationship problems, and reduced work productivity. Depression is a highly treatable illness, so with the right care, people can feel better.
What Causes Depression?
While depression is often caused by fluctuations in body chemistry which influences the process of mood and thought, it can also be caused by biological factors. In some cases, life stresses or significant life transitions like the death of a loved one, can also cause depressive episodes.
Can Depression Be Successfully Treated?
Anyone with depression that does not seek help from a licensed mental health professional is suffering needlessly because it is highly treatable with the right competent care. The importance of receiving the appropriate treatment is so important for a happy and healthy life.
How Can Psychotherapy Help?
Psychotherapy helps depressed individuals by identifying what factors contribute to the depression while dealing effectively with the behavioral, interpersonal, situational, and psychological causes. It can help who are people suffering from depression to see choices they hadn’t previously identified, so they can gradually incorporate activities in their lives that are enjoyable and fulfilling.
Therapists can help pinpoint contributing problems of depressed patients, while identifying realistic future goals options. This enables the enhancement of their emotional well-being and mental health. Therapists can also help them to identify similar feelings that they have successfully dealt with when they have been depressed in the past.
They can also assist with the Identification of distorted or negative thinking patterns does which can contribute to overall feelings of helplessness and hopelessness that often accompany feelings of depression. For example, many people suffering from depression often take events personally, give more meaning to otherwise trivial occurrences, and often overgeneralize situations, thinking in terms of “never” or “always” with no in-between.
Therapists can explore their learned behaviors and thoughts to help them locate which ones are responsible for contributing or creating the problems which cause depression. For example, therapists can help depressed individuals improve and understand these recurring patterns of depression while helping to regain a sense of control with a more positive outlook on their life.
The main goal of psychotherapy is to understand what causes the depression, while teaching methods of controlling reactions and feelings. People can learn the required skills through therapy to avoid unnecessary suffering that may be caused by any future bouts of depression.
While depression can often seriously impair the ability to function healthily with everyday situations, the recovery prospects after receiving professional care are quite high. People who suffer from depression and talk with psychotherapist often regain complete control of their mental health along with the rest of their lives.