Depression
Depression - this a big topic and is something that affects many people at some point in their lives. Typical symptoms include fatigue, loss of pleasure, withdrawal from social life, lack of self-care and sometimes, thoughts about ending life. There can be obvious triggers, such as changes in life circumstances (grief/loss, financial worries, relationship break up) or, in the case of chronic depression, people can be susceptible to ongoing mood issues which may not have any obvious triggers.
Antidepressants can be helpful for some people, particularly when combined with psychological therapy, because they often raise mood enough for people to feel motivated to use the skills we are working on. However, medication is always a personal choice and you should never feel pressured to take it. If you do decide to try antidepressants, it is important that you follow your doctor’s advice by increasing the dose slowly, taking it regularly, and never stopping it suddenly. Often, any side effects should wear off after a few weeks.
In therapy, we start by looking at four main areas of a typical week - self-care, achievement, connecting with others, and fun/pleasure/enjoyment https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/ace-activity/ Often, most of these areas will be reduced or absent, so we work on slowly planning some small tasks in, and build from there as you have more energy. You will be encouraged to do some gentle exercise, connect with friends and family, eat and hydrate regularly and do one small task for a sense of achievement each day.
We then help you identify your negative thoughts and look at any unhelpful thinking traps https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/unhelpful-thinking-habits/ that might be hindering you. These are really common for all of us and can include disqualifying the positives and black and white thinking. It does take time, but we can work together to bring your thoughts back into a middle ground, tackle any problems that can be dealt with, and help you see the positives in life again.
Mindfulness https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/mindfulness/ is another useful skill that can help with mood issues. Often, in depression, we are stuck in the past, or imagining a hopeless future, so focusing on the present and noticing things as they happen keeps things real.
This is just a snapshot of how therapy can help with mood and depression. Each person is different and we use an individual approach depending on your goals and needs. Get in touch today if you would like to get support.