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March 11, 2022 by Engracia Gill

When You Can’t “Snap Out of It”: How Depression Counseling Brings Relief

When You Can’t “Snap Out of It”: How Depression Counseling Brings Relief

It’s been hard and you’ve tried everything you can think of.

Depression is akin to a dark cloud hanging over you, fogging up your mind and heart. Distracting yourself, exercising, trying to get enough sleep, even digging deep to find the motivation all prove fruitless. No matter what, you just don’t “snap out of it.

Now is the time to be gentle with yourself. Depression holds on tight to your mind and emotions. It usually isn’t something one can relieve in a “snap.” Perhaps there is a different possibility? Have you seriously considered depression counseling? If you are looking for lasting relief, depression counseling provides hope and clarity, pushing back dark those mental clouds so that you can get the relief you seek from negative feelings and thoughts about yourself and start the healing process.

Why Can’t You “Snap Out of It”?

Depression is more than just a bad day or feeling down. It’s a clinical disorder that takes root in the mind, the body and the heart. Lodged in your mind are negative thoughts, lodged in your heart are experiences and beliefs that are difficult, lodged in your body are neurochemicals that dance around. Whether your depression originates from one event or is the result of a cumulative process, it influences self perception as well as your outlook on life and relationships. Depressive thoughts and beliefs impact on your physical body too. Everything from aches and pains to potentially shrinking the hippocampus in your brain are physiological symptoms of depression.  Depression is an overwhelming physical, psychological, mental and social condition. It rarely resolves itself. Healing depression requires a collaborative process between a person and family members and a qualified therapist.. Depression is not just a mood or a feeling easily manipulated by willpower. Suggestions that you “snap out” of being depressed suggest that depression is a choice. That is hardly the case.

Acceptance and Depression Counseling

Depression counseling  brings relief by fostering acceptance with the help of your therapist. There are so many people out there who struggle with depression and don’t feel accepted or understood by others. This makes them feel isolated and alone. In turn, the isolation only makes the depression worse.

Establishing a therapeutic relationship helps one reconnect and alleviate the tendency to withdrawal that ultimately worsens depression. We all need to feel accepted and understood by other people. It’s actually hard-wired in us. Thus, when work begins with a therapist, the therapeutic bubble of acceptance starts to work its magic and counteracts the negative messages, thoughts and feelings. A well versed therapist understands your emotional pain and helps you it understand as well.

Looking for Connections

A  therapist trained in depression counseling will be on the lookout for connections about how depression is first rooted in your life. You may not even be aware of these factors until the therapist brings them to the surface. In fact, because depression can last for months, or even years, you may have grown so accustomed to depression in your life that you don’t even realize how it affects your choices and relationships.

You just know that you don’t feel right. These missed connections are also important for recognizing symptoms. For example, are you

  • irritable or on edge all the time?
  • feeling hopeless?
  • experiencing sadness for long periods of time?
  • dealing with appetite or weight disturbances?
  • having sleep problems?
  • thinking about death or suicide?

Your therapist will be able to help you connect the dots so that you can see the bigger picture of your depression.

Finding Real Relief

So how does depression counseling help find real relief?

For one thing, therapy allows you to be kind to yourself. Often people with depression blame themselves for why they feel so bad. Remember, depression is a mood disorder and condition of the brain that involves complicated issues. In short, it’s not your fault that you have depression.

This concept is liberating and takes hard work and effort if you have struggled with this cloud for so long. We know a lot about depression and how to deal with it. In fact, you might start seeing more positive results soon after therapy begins.

One does not simply snap out of depression by oneself.  We, as human beings, are wired to learn with other human beings.  And accepting this truth starts a road to a completely different life than the one before and during a depressive episode.   That’s okay. Help and guidance lift this cloud. Luckily, depression is a well-known condition and very much treatable. With the help of a therapist and depression counseling, you will be able to get the lasting help you need.

Filed Under: Blog, Communication, Depression, Well Being

Hope is the feeling that the feeling you have isn’t permanent.

— ~ Jean Kerr
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