Wednesday, September 24, 2014

How Counseling For Depression SF Helps Depressed Individuals

By Karina Frost


People who suffer from depression are affected in different ways. This disorder can be caused by many things and its symptoms include feeling lonely, sad, guilty, disappointed and self doubt. Some individuals can feel depressed for long periods while others may feel depressed for short periods only. This illness may be caused by sad event such as the death of a relative.

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.

Depressed individuals should consult with a counselor if their suffering outweighs their pleasures and if the symptoms of this mental condition are affecting their daily functions. They should also see a counselor if they are thinking about committing suicide. This disorder is usually treated through different kinds of therapy, counseling and antidepressants. The therapies that are used to treat this disorder include cognitive behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, light therapy and electroconvulsive therapy.

Depression counseling is effective since it provides affected individuals with practical help. Counselors help them learn the skills they need to overcome depressive behaviors and thinking. They also offer them the opportunity to talk about how they are feeling and help them learn how to overcome the feelings of inadequacy, loneliness and sadness.

You counselor will also encourage you to develop your social skills so that your needs for affection, friendship, pleasure and intimacy among others can be fulfilled. The counselor will also try to identify the triggers of depressing moods and help you overcome your fears and anxiety. A depression counselor can also help you deal with relationship issues, low self esteem and persistent negative thinking that may be making the illness worse.

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.

If your counselor chooses to use cognitive therapy as a treatment option, you will be taught how to identify problematic beliefs and apply coping skills in your life. This will assist you to handle the problems you are suffering from. This treatment option is also designed to help you maximize the quality and duration of sleep and improve overall energy levels and 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.




About the Author:



No comments: