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 you are depressed and you know what is causing it, the feelings of sadness may end after a short period. If you do not know why you are depressed, the feelings may worsen since you may not be in a position to understand what is going on. It is not easy to live with depression and you should therefore seek guidance from a counselor. With the help of specialists who offer counseling for depression SF residents can start living normally again.

It is advisable to speak with a counselor if you experience pain more than pleasure often, if the symptoms of depression are so severe to the point of disrupting your daily activities or if you have reached the point of viewing suicide as a possible solution to your problems. Antidepressants and a combination of different therapies and counseling are used to treat this illness. Some of the therapies used to treat this disorder include electroconvulsive therapy, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and light therapy.

The chances of benefiting from depression counseling are high since you will be provided with practical solutions. Your counselor will teach you the skills needed to overcome depressive behaviors and thinking. This professional will also give you a chance to speak out and assist you to prevail over feelings of inadequacy, sadness and loneliness.

You will also receive encouragement to improve your social skills so that your needs for friendship, pleasure, intimacy and affection among other needs can be met. A counselor will also identify the things that make you feel depressed and assist you to prevail over your anxiety and fears. The professional can also help you tackle low self esteem, relationship issues and persistent negative thinking that could be making you to feel more depressed.

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.

Your counselor may ask you to complete some homework between counseling sessions. The aim of this homework is to assist you to apply what you have been taught to handle specific problems. Cognitive therapy is cost effective and its chances of success are high. You can start seeing the benefits of being counseled within a few weeks.




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