Depression Counseling: Understanding Your Depression

Depression is often a very overlooked topic by many. The fact that it is an illness is what is usually misunderstood. As stated by the NIMH, "[Depression] is a real illness. It is not a sign of a person's weakness or a character flaw. You can't 'snap out of' clinical depression."

One of the most important roles that depression counseling can play is identifying the root cause to your depression. There are endless factors that can result in clinical depression. Below are some of the most common roots to identify and understand.

Mental health issues, including depression, can run in the family. According to Kathleen Hall on Everyday Health, if you have someone in your immediate family who has experienced depression, you are at more risk of developing it yourself than others who do not have it in their family history.

Identifying this as a cause is dependent on how your life was growing up or how acknowledged the depression in your family was. Someone seeking counseling might not have even been aware of any family history. Those in their family who developed it might have denied it or not sought proper help themselves. This would mean those family members would not be aware of the signs to look for in others.

The key to identify this as a cause is to talk in-depth to your counselor about your childhood and your family.

While depression isn't just about being "sad," the things that are going on in your life and how they affect the way you feel can play a major factor in developing clinical depression. This does not mean that you are weak. It just means that the circumstances had a physical effect on your brain's ability to balance certain chemicals and hormones.

This is sometimes difficult to identify as a cause as sometimes there are several things happening all at once in your life. These things include loss of a loved one, loss of a job, trouble in a relationship, and so forth. This is where a counselor is the most helpful. Through their education, experience, and training, they can help you in uncovering the truth of the deepest root cause.

Identifying circumstantial causes can take some time and patience. Most of the time it takes a thorough talk through of everything going on and all that has happened in months, or even years, prior.

Depression is very often tied in with other medical issues. It can tie in with cancer, autoimmune disease, and other medical issues that might affect the chemical balance in your brain. While depression is sometimes the cause of anxiety and sleep issues, it is also sometimes the other way around.

Your regular healthcare provider is the main one who can identify anything physical going on. Where a therapist comes in, however, is helping you to cope with the depression side of it as you work with your doctor in the physical aspects. They can help you pinpoint some of the deeper feelings you have due to these medical conditions. There might be a fear of death, chronic pain making it difficult to get up, or just worry of things getting worse.

As mentioned, depression can have several different causes. In any case, seeking depression therapy will help you to face it head on. If you are in the Fresno area and are experiencing signs of depression, please contact us to find out how we can help you.

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