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Look at your life and tell me what’s wrong with it. You have a family, friends, a relationship, and a job. You have no reason to be depressed right? After all, there are a lot of people in the world who are a lot worse off than you.
If this is all true, then why do you feel so miserable. How is it possible that, as you are counting your blessing, that fog can still roll in and stop you in your tracks?
The following are a few reasons why you may feel the way you do and what you can do about it.
Reason #1: Depression Isn’t Situational
If you lose a loved one or experience something difficult and feel sad afterward, that’s not depression. It is a reaction, and reactions are normal. Clinical depression may not always have a cause. That is what can make it so frustrating at times. If you are suffering from depression, you might be inclined to be self-critical because you can’t seem to understand why you feel the way that you do. Keep an eye on that self-criticism. It could be making your symptoms worse than if you just permitted yourself to feel the way you do.
Reason #2: Your Behavior or Activity Level
I’m not saying it is your fault, but what a lot of people may not realize is that depression is cyclical. This means that when we feel depressed, we may tend to isolate, stay in bed, and withdraw from people. When we do all of these things, we can begin to feel lonely and sad. Because we are feeling lonely and sad, we isolate, stay in bed, or withdraw more, and the cycle goes on and on. Sometimes, by getting up and being active (exercise, socializing, calling a friend just to chat) we can override our thoughts and experience some relief from depression.
Reason #3: You are Human.
People can feel different emotions simultaneously. I can be happy spending Christmas with my family and still be sad that my grandfather is no longer here to celebrate with us. I can be angry with my son for disappearing in the grocery store and relieved that I found him. There is no shame in feeling negative emotions along with positive ones, and they don’t cancel one another out either.
Mental health used to be viewed as the ability to think about positive things when you are experiencing something negative. Now, we understand that is more about accepting that there will be good and bad days. Just because you can enjoy dinner with friends and have a good time does not mean that your depression is not real.
Depression is one of the most treatable mental conditions we can experience. At Mind Works Counseling Services in Lubbock, TX, we specialize in Depression Therapy for Men. However, we also see women. Sometimes, all you need is a handful of sessions to get yourself back on track. We can help you understand more about your symptoms and offer insight as to how to reduce your depressive symptoms.
Click to learn more about our approach to Depression Therapy.
Schedule an appointment with one of our counselors.
Let us help if we can.