How Do You Know If You Re Depressed Quiz – As a therapist, I know that usually when someone goes into a counselor’s office, their pain level is very high. As a person who has struggled with depression myself, I know from my own experience that things got a lot worse before I was ready to seek help for myself.
When I picked up the phone to find a therapist, I was so depressed that I was having trouble doing basic things to take care of myself, like eating regularly or exercising. I was physically exhausted by my negative thoughts about myself at the time, and getting through the day felt so difficult that I wasn’t sure how much effort I could keep up.
How Do You Know If You Re Depressed Quiz
When I first met with my therapist, I was ready to help myself figure out how to stop being depressed. Although I got some relief from the pain even from the first session, she helped me with more important things than eliminating the symptoms.
Am I Actually Depressed Or Am I Feeling Depressed?
All our emotions are like lights on a car dashboard. One light tells you you need gas, the other to check your tire pressure. If these lights didn’t warn us of our car’s needs, we’d be wrecked on the side of the road, well… a lot! Because most of us have a tendency to
So are our emotions. They are the lights on our dashboard that let us know that something under the hood needs our attention. All of our emotions—happiness, sadness, anger, boredom, shame, resentment—are important messages that we need to pay attention to something in our inner world or our outer environment. The type of emotion we experience gives us a clue as to what action to take to fulfill the associated need. In this way, our emotions are incredibly helpful friends, providing guidance on how to meet our needs.
Imagine you’re tired of having to get gas one day. You thought you’d solved the problem once and for all by destroying the tiny little gas light on your dash. You see how it backfires when you call AAA and have to be rescued a few days later. The consequence of turning off the gas light is that it leads to an expensive breakdown, which is far worse than the inconvenience of regular fill-ups.
So are our depressive symptoms. If we want to alleviate the painful symptoms and turn them into numbness, avoidance, addictions or whatever, we are not addressing the root of the problem and we are guaranteeing that it will not be the last time. We will find ourselves in a slump.
How Do I Know If I Have Depression?
But if instead we see the symptoms as helpful signals, to look within ourselves with compassion, to discover our unmet needs, to give ourselves attention to areas of need… well, that’s where real change happens.
In this blog series, we’re going to address some of the messages your depression may be trying to send you. This list is not exhaustive and may not be right for every person, but it should give you some food for thought. Here are some of the topics we’ll cover in future posts:
The good news is that once your body has figured out the message it wants you to receive, it’s much easier to meet that need, and once the root cause is addressed, the symptoms will easily disappear.
If you need some help figuring out the message your depression is trying to convey to you, it can go a long way to work things out with a counselor. Call today for a free 15-minute phone consultation to find out how I can help. It’s normal to get the occasional blues. But it’s not always easy to distinguish grief from clinical depression. Learn the warning signs and how to get the support you need.
Steps To Take When Feeling Lonely And Depressed
Everyone has sad days. Feelings are a part of life. But if that giant storm cloud isn’t moving overhead, it could be a sign of something more serious.
We are talking about depression. It’s a mental health problem that can negatively affect the way you feel, think, and act.
Depression can make it difficult to take care of yourself. It can endanger your physical health.
The good news is that depression is treatable and reversible. But it can be difficult to know when you have it. People with depression can have a variety of symptoms. And symptoms can mimic everyday emotions. Think: irritability, lack of energy, anxiety.
Depression: Causes, Symptoms, Types & Treatment
Here’s how to tell if your sadness is actually depression and how to find the help you need.
Grief may be mild. Or, they can be intense and long-lasting, like the death of a loved one.
Depression is not just sadness. It’s a mental health problem that doesn’t always go away on its own. Prolonged sadness is often a symptom of depression. But this is definitely not the same. Depression makes you feel worthless.
The cause of depression is also more complex. A stressful life event can trigger depression. But other factors are also involved, such as the balance of brain chemicals. Depression also seems to run in families.
Helping Someone With Depression
To top it off, there are different types of depression. Some may be more serious and obvious. Others are more subtle.
Everyone’s experience with depression is different. It can come in mild, short-term episodes. Or maybe life-changing. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe form of depression. 1 in 6 people will go through it at some point in their life.
To be diagnosed with MDD, you must have at least five symptoms for more than two weeks. Some of the most common symptoms of MDD include:
If you don’t meet these criteria, you can still benefit from support. In fact, there is a milder form of MDD called subclinical depression. It can still affect your physical and mental well-being.
Depression Quotes & Sayings That Capture Life With Depression
But it lasts so long that feeling low or low can seem normal. (It certainly isn’t.)
If your symptoms persist, it may be time to reach out for help. “We all have bad days,” says Nekesia Hammond, PsyD. She is a psychologist in Tampa Bay, Florida. “But if your symptoms persist for weeks, it could be depression.”
Even if you don’t think the mood swings are serious, it’s better to be safe than sorry. “Depression is treatable,” says Hammond. “Research shows that people can achieve better outcomes if it’s treated early.”
An important sign to watch out for? It is hard to do your regular routines. “When it’s affecting your functioning, you should definitely seek help,” says Shara Sand, a psychologist based in New York City.
Documenting Depression In Words And Illustrations
This will help you compare your current state of mind with what you have experienced in the past. Your irritation will quickly increase over small things. Or you may be withdrawing more from family and friends. Both can be signs that you need to reach out for help, Sand says.
A good first step is to contact your primary care doctor, says Hammond. They can perform an exam that will rule out any conditions that could lead to depression. Common culprits are thyroid problems or vitamin deficiencies.
If your doctor thinks you have depression, they can refer you to a therapist. They may even do the elevation for you. “Finding a good therapist is one of the best things you can do for recovery,” Sand says.
If you don’t want to talk to a doctor or have trouble finding a therapist near you, you can consider virtual options. There are resources that can help.
Find Out If You’re Misusing Words Like Trauma And Gaslighting
Realizing that you need support from a therapist can be difficult. But that doesn’t mean you have any flaws as a person. “Just because you’re seeking therapy doesn’t mean you’re damaged,” Sand emphasizes. It means that you are experiencing difficulty. With the right support, you can take the necessary steps to get through it.
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