Depression, The Invisible Problem

Depression is like a bruise that never goes away. A bruise in your mind. You just got to be careful not to touch where it hurts. It's always there though.

Let's make this crystal clear. You can't touch depression right. Nobody can. It's not as if you had a broken arm or leg. But you know you got it. You feel low and lethargic at times. You cry and you don't know why. You feel lonely even if you are with a bunch of your best mates. Simple tasks you used to take care of before have become difficult to look after. And sometimes you feel forgetful and it's difficult to concentrate.

Talking to a friend or relative can help make things better but most people don't see depression as an issue and don't understand what you are going through. And I am sure you have heard advices that did not help.

It's not as simple as 'get yourself together' kind of thing.

Now ask yourself the question 'When was the last time I did something for the first time?'. If you can't think of an answer within a minute it means it was a long time ago and you struggle to recall it. Talking to an expert can be that new experience. And even if you have had therapy before you can still benefit from it. Sometimes life brings unexpected challenges and it's hard work to deal with it. Do a new thing today, take care of yourself in new ways that you have not explored before.

Therapy can help you identify the triggers that cause you to feel low and change your belief about them.

All of us human beings have some helpful and unhelpful beliefs about ourselves, other people and the world which are deeply rooted and not accessible to us. Learning more about them in therapy is key to finding new helpful solutions and develop healthier habits to deal with what's going on for you. So the good news it that there is a way out of depression, it's just about choosing the right path. Take care of yourself as you would do for others you care about the most.