How a psychologist can help you overcome depression

Do you always need medication when you are depressed? Some forms of depression respond well to medication and others respond better to individual counseling from a psychologist or Licensed Professional Counselor(LPC). This article will help you ascertain the type of therapy that would be best for you.


Do

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  • see a therapist if you have become depressed over a life situation
  • recognize if you experience anger
  • take note if you have low self-esteem
  • understand self-sabotage
  • see a psychologist to help you cope
Don't

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  • forget the about the chemical responses
  • see a therapist for career help
  • forget see a specialist if need be
  • ignore mood swings
  • dismiss strong feelings of depression

[publishpress_authors_data]'s recommendation to ExpertBeacon readers: Do

Do see a therapist if you have become depressed over a life situation

If you have had a traumatic experience such as a divorce, loss of job or a loved one, or a romantic breakup, and you were not depressed before the episode, you need therapy to heal from the experience. Medication might help temporarily, but you need to change the way you think of yourself, the world, and your view of the future. CBT or cognitive therapy works well for this.

Do recognize if you experience anger

Depression has sometimes been explained as anger turned inward. When you feel angry and do not know how to express it you tend to hold it in and take it out on yourself. This leads to depression. A psychologist can give you insight into the anger and teach you how to express it appropriately. When you express anger appropriately the depression can lift too.

Do take note if you have low self-esteem

Most people have felt that they were not very good at something. However, when you feel that you are generally no good at anything a psychologist can help you change your beliefs about yourself. Feeling inadequate and unlovable can make someone suicidal. However, a psychologist can help you see the mental barriers you have towards feeling good about yourself, and help you have a healthier and more realistic self image.

Do understand self-sabotage

Are you one of those people who seems to never reach your goals? Do you get close but then do something foolish to sabotage yourself? For example: You are a young man who wants a girlfriend but always say the wrong thing at the wrong time. A psychologist can help you identify why you self sabotage and help improve your attitude, self-confidence, and behavior. Self-sabotage is linked to your self-esteem, which can be an indicator of depression.

Do see a psychologist to help you cope

This is similar to #1. If you know why you feel depressed but do not know how to cope, then a psychologist can help you learn ways to help yourself in your specific situation. Often when you first get depressed you do not know what to do about it and your family and friends do not know how to help you. They might tell you to think of what you have to be grateful for or they might tell you to do something fun. When this does not work you can feel worse. A psychologist can help you understand and accept your feelings and teach you coping skills.


[publishpress_authors_data]'s professional advice to ExpertBeacon readers: Don't

Do not forget the about the chemical responses

Have you first started feeling depressed and there does not seem to be a cause? If you feel depressed and do not know why, it may be an organic issue. Your brain may not produce enough serotonin, dopamine, or any of the other chemicals that make you feel good. Although a psychologist can be helpful, you need a psychiatrist for medication. The prognosis is best if it is the first time you have felt depressed. Get on medication and accept that you need it.

Do not see a therapist for career help

Are you depressed because you do not know what to do with your life? If you are a young person and you do not know what to do with your life, career, relationships, etc. you would benefit more from a career counselor or life coach. Often when you do not have goals and a life direction you suffer from anhedonia, which is an inability to enjoy life. It may seem like depression. However, once you get goals and a direction in life you feel better about yourself and can enjoy your life.

Do not forget see a specialist if need be

Do you have marital issues? If you and your spouse are arguing, stonewalling, or otherwise not getting along, you should see a marriage counselor, or a therapist who does marriage counseling. It is possible that you may need counseling. But you need to see a therapist that understands issues of communication and relational issues. When you have marital issues you can feel depressed because you miss the good marriage that you used to have or thought you had. It can feel as if the person you married died because they do not seem the same. This depression can lift when you resolve your marital issues.

Do not ignore mood swings

Do you have mood swings? Extreme mood swings could be an indication that you have bipolar disorder. If you have periods where you are so depressed that you can’t get out of bed, and other periods where you have so much energy that you don’t sleep and don’t feel that you need sleep then you might have bipolar disorder. You need medication to help stabilize your mood. A psychologist can help you learn coping skills for the mood swings, but you need medication, which requires a psychiatrist.

Do not dismiss strong feelings of depression

Do you feel so depressed that you can’t do anything? If you feel so depressed that it feels impossible to do anything, then you might need something stronger than therapy, like medication. You may feel like you could cry at the thought of getting out of bed, showering, eating, interacting with others or doing anything. When you are this strongly depressed you need medication and may also need hospitalization.


Summary

This article summarizes the most appropriate help to seek when you feel depressed. Psychologists, psychiatrists, life coaches, and specialized therapist are available, but it is important that you understand which type of therapy and specialist is right for you. Depression is a serious condition, but there is help if you need it.

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