How Counseling For Depression SF Helps Depressed Individuals

By Karina Frost


Depression is a mood disorder that affects each person differently and has many causes and symptoms. It is characterized by varying degrees of sadness, loneliness, disappointment, guilt, self doubt and hopelessness. Some people can feel depressed for short periods of time but others may experience these feelings for long periods of time. This ailment is often caused by an unhappy event like the death of a loved one.

If a depressed person knows what is causing him or her to feel that way, the feelings of sadness can end within a short time. However, if the cause of the mental condition is not apparent, the feelings of sadness may become worse since the affected person may not understand the reason for them. Living with this mental condition is hard and affected individuals should therefore seek the assistance of a counselor. By working with professionals who specialize in counseling for depression SF inhabitants can deal with the problem effectively.

Depressed individuals should consult with a counselor if their suffering outweighs their pleasures and if the symptoms of this mental condition are affecting their daily functions. They should also see a counselor if they are thinking about committing suicide. This disorder is usually treated through different kinds of therapy, counseling and antidepressants. The therapies that are used to treat this disorder include cognitive behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, light therapy and electroconvulsive therapy.

Depression counseling is effective since it provides affected individuals with practical help. Counselors help them learn the skills they need to overcome depressive behaviors and thinking. They also offer them the opportunity to talk about how they are feeling and help them learn how to overcome the feelings of inadequacy, loneliness and sadness.

You counselor will also encourage you to develop your social skills so that your needs for affection, friendship, pleasure and intimacy among others can be fulfilled. The counselor will also try to identify the triggers of depressing moods and help you overcome your fears and anxiety. A depression counselor can also help you deal with relationship issues, low self esteem and persistent negative thinking that may be making the illness worse.

Depressed patients usually attend 12 to 20 sessions per week. The sessions last about 1 to 2 hours each. Depending on your situation, counseling can be offered in the form of group sessions or private sessions. When being counseled in a group, you will have an opportunity to share your experience with others. You can also benefit from knowing that other people are also dealing with the disorder.

When using cognitive therapy to treat you, your counselor will help you identify problematic beliefs, learn coping skills and how to apply them in your life. This will help you deal with the problems you are facing. Through cognitive behavioral therapy, you can improve overall energy levels, increase the duration and quality of sleep and improve appetite among other things.

Before they attend the next counseling session, patients may be asked to complete some homework. The tasks they are asked to perform are meant to help them apply the skills they have learnt o deal with their problems. Cognitive behavioral therapy is affordable and its rate of success is high. Patients can start reaping the benefits of speaking with a counselor within a few weeks.




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