A Few Tips on What to Share With Your Depression Therapist
One of your first great steps, if you are feeling depressed or you are feeling something that might be described as depression, is to see a depression therapist. Now, your journey won’t be easier just because you made a conscious decision to ask for help and get better.
It is likely that on your way to your first session you are going to think heavily about what you should share. And once you arrive and the session starts, your mind could be completely blank.
If that happens, don’t worry. Depression is difficult enough to live with, and sometimes, it is even worse to explain it to someone, even if that someone is trying to help you. Let this post be a little nudge, a piece of advice to give you a few guidelines you can hold on to if everything else fades when you sit on your chair in front of a depression therapist.
Tell Your Depression Therapist About Your Past and Present Issues
You might come with a premade idea that we are going to talk about your past or your connections with your family, but that is not a given. For example, if we proceed with CBT therapy, a therapy effective in treating depression and issues relevant to you at this moment, we may not have a chance to talk about your past.
And yet, if you come to one session and you don’t know what to say, you could start at a point far in time. We might dig deeper on that point and discover a connection between a difficult emotional moment from your childhood and current emotions or behaviour.
Talk About the Sources of Stress
When talking with your depression therapist, sharing problems that make you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, and sad is imperative. You can talk about these problems whether they appear at home or work, the more detailed and honest you are, the better a therapist can help you.
You can also share moments of happiness and circumstances that led to those moments. Therapy doesn’t mean always talking about your issues. Especially depression therapy is about learning the techniques to cope with your problems but also finding sources of happiness and strength.
Did You Notice any Physical Symptoms?
Depression often manifests in physical symptoms like having trouble sleeping, low energy levels, and the loss of appetite. Physical symptoms also often change your behaviour. You should talk about this with your depression therapist.
Whenever you notice a symptom or a change in behaviour that you think might be caused by depression, you can write it down and reflect on the situation during therapy. This will also help you in case you don’t know what to talk about.
Are You Looking for a Depression Therapist?
If you are feeling depressed, one of your first stops might be to see a general practitioner. They could see if your feelings are caused by something else or give you directions on where to treat your depression.
But if you are suffering from depression, anxiety, or something else I can help you with, you are welcome to always call me on 086 3835910 or contact me here.
