Most of us feel sad, lonely, or depressed at times. It's a normal reaction to loss, life's struggles, or injured self-esteem. But when these feelings become overwhelming, cause physical symptoms, and last for long periods of time, they can keep you from leading a normal, active and fulfilling life.
Depression affects people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of symptoms.
They range from lasting feelings of unhappiness and hopelessness, to losing interest in the things you used to enjoy and feeling intensely sad and very tearful. Many people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety, becoming worried and panicky at situations which previously would not have caused them any undue concern.
There can be physical symptoms too, such as feeling constantly tired, sleeping badly, having no appetite or sex drive, and various aches and pains.
The symptoms of depression range from mild to severe. At its mildest, you may simply feel persistently low in spirit, while severe depression can make you feel suicidal, and that life is no longer worth living.
Psychodynamic counselling or psychotherapy
Coming into psychodynamic counselling or psychotherapy can help you to unravel what is the meaning of your depressive feelings; what purpose do they serve and why are you responding to life in this way.
A central theme in feelings of depression and low mood will inevitably be that of loss, present and past and so this can be thought about, understood and worked through. The therapist will aim to provide a secure, reliable and responsive base in which to feel safe enough to explore the grief and disappointment associated with the depressive feelings.
Cognitive behavioural therapy - cbt
Seeing a cognitive behavioural therapist for feelings of depression will take a different view and it’s starting point will be from the perspective that the difficulty lies not in the ‘things’ that may have happened but in the perception of ‘things’. It will identify a set of negative ideas and attitudes which are characteristic of depression - depressed mood is the result of negative thinking and the product of faulty reasoning. The origin or cause of this faulty reasoning, is not of any consequence but if the underlying logic can be corrected therapeutically, then the depressive mood will lift.
