How Therapy Can Help Heal Depression

Does it seem as if you will never get out from a dark cloud? Are the feelings of sadness and despair overwhelming? Dealing with depression is hard. Feeling as if you will never measure up, or be good enough, is just as hard. Yet, feeling isolated and alone is often worse.

When you feel depressed, it is easy to hide away from the world. You don't want to feel like a burden to your family and friends. You especially don't want to bother anyone with your dark emotions. So, you keep your emotions and thoughts to yourself.

What many people don't realize is that therapy benefits depression recovery in multiple ways.

Therapy Gives You A Safe Space To Talk

Mental health stigmas have come a long way but still exist. So when it comes time to talk about them, we tend to clam up and shy away from discussing our problems. Why? Not only do we not want to burden our loved ones or weigh them down, but we have a deeper fear. The fear of being judged.

When you go to therapy, you will never be judged for how you feel or what you think. The emotions and thoughts that are weighing you down are nothing to be ashamed of. The situations that cause you pain and distress are valid. They are real.

Too often, when we do open up about how we are feeling, we get some very unhelpful advice. "It will all get better," "You shouldn't get worried over so much." And, while the intentions are pure, at the end of the day, they don't help us overcome the sadness.

A therapist will be your listening ear, but they won't spew empty words at you. Instead, you will begin to understand and unravel, with their help, all of the ways that unwanted thoughts are contributing to your feelings.

It Helps You Understand That This Is More Than Just Sadness

Sadness may be a huge factor in depression, but it is not the only one.

Have you been feeling more irritable lately? More withdrawn? Loss of interest in activities? No motivation?

Depression may primarily manifest itself in feelings of sadness, but it isn't the only thing that can lead to depression. In fact, loss of interest in activities or hobbies is a key factor when it comes to diagnosing depression. But why is this important?

It will help you see that there are more things than just sorrow contributing to your state of mind. Because sadness is all most people think of when they think about depression, it can be misleading. It's misleading for those around us and for ourselves too. If we aren't recognizing all the ways that depression is manifesting itself in our lives then we will never truly be able to overcome it.

By talking with a therapist, you can better see all the things in your life that are contributing to depression.

It Helps You Set Realistic Goals

Sometimes, what contributes to depression is a picture in our minds of how life is "supposed to be." Too often, these thoughts are dictated by societal expectations of where we should be in life and what we should be doing.

We are often so busy trying to "keep up" that we feel let down when it doesn't go our way. Working with a therapist can help you focus on what is important to you. What your life goals are, not what society says they should be, can take shape with improved self-awareness and understanding. After all, this is your life and your journey, not anyone's life.

A therapist can help you list steps you can take to reach goals that are actually achievable and meaningful to you. As a team, you and a professional can establish a clear set of goals and expectations that can steadily improve your self-worth and outlook.

--

If you are struggling with depression and aren't sure where to turn, a therapist can help you. Let's work through your feelings and find new meaning in your life. Please read more about depression therapy. Contact us soon to get started.