Depression is more than just sadness. It can feel like:
A heavy blanket of numbness, emptiness, or persistent sadness that won’t lift.
Feeling completely drained of energy, even after a full night’s sleep.
Losing interest in hobbies, friends, and activities that you once enjoyed.
Negative thoughts about yourself, your world, and your future that feel inescapable.
Withdrawing from others because socializing requires too much effort.
Understanding the Jargon (What’s Actually Happening?)
In clinical terms, you might be experiencing:
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): A persistent low mood and loss of interest lasting for two weeks or more, impacting daily function.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD): A chronic, low-grade depression that lasts for years.
Anhedonia: The inability to feel pleasure from activities usually found enjoyable—a core feature of depression..
Mood Dysregulation: Difficulty managing emotional responses that feel intense and unpredictable.
How We Deal With It in Therapy Together
My approach is compassionate and action-oriented. Our work will include:
Behavioral Activation: Gently and gradually reintroducing positive and rewarding activities into your routine to counteract isolation and inertia. This is a powerful tool to rebuild momentum.
Cognitive Restructuring (CBT): Identifying and challenging the deep-seated negative thought patterns (“I’m a failure,” “Nothing matters”) that fuel the depression cycle.
Self-Compassion Work: Learning to replace harsh self-criticism with kindness and understanding, reducing the shame that often accompanies depression.
Routine and Regulation: Building predictable daily rhythms for sleep, eating, and activity to help stabilize your mood and energy levels.
Values Clarification: Reconnecting with what truly matters to you to help rebuild a sense of purpose and direction.
A Little Something to Help You Now: The 5-Minute Rule
When a task feels too overwhelming, and the urge to do nothing is strong, use this rule.
Commit to just five minutes. Tell yourself you will only do the dreaded task (e.g., loading the dishwasher, taking a shower, going for a walk) for five minutes.
When the timer goes off, you can stop. No guilt.
Often, the hardest part is starting. Once you’ve begun, you might find the momentum to continue. If not, you’ve still succeeded for five minutes. This helps break the cycle of avoidance and self-criticism.
