Overcoming Depression
Chris Cowen – qualified and experienced Counsellor and Life Coach in Exeter
Depression is different. It drains you of energy, enthusiasm, optimism and hope. You might recognise what is happening to you, rationally understand it and yet still seem hopelessly trapped without the will to escape.
Counselling is not a ‘magic bullet’, but it can be an immense relief to talk openly with someone who is listening to you in a supportive and constructive way.
There is no single cause. Factors like genetic makeup, type of personality, or personal history can make you more prone to depression. It can be a symptom of certain conditions such as diabetes, MS, or thyroid problems and if the experience of depression is new for you, then you might consider a medical check-up.
Depression can also be triggered by stressful situations, significant loss or disappointment, - the death of a loved one, the diagnosis of a major illness, the break-up of a relationship or the loss of a job. These events change your personal landscape and need you to re-adjust to a new reality. This should happen naturally in days, weeks or in the case of a bereavement, many months. But it can get blocked and leave you stuck in a chronic state of depression.
Whatever the underlying cause, the desire to be free of its distressing grip can easily lead to unhelpful and destructive forms of escape. An additional twist is often added by low self-esteem, negative and unrealistic thinking; or distorted beliefs about yourself and the world.
People who have never experienced a significant episode of depression can find it hard to understand it in others. Not because they are insensitive or uncaring, but its very nature can make empathy difficult. You may fear that others will lose patience and lead you to lose hope.
But there is hope and there are many different avenues of help available.
My Approach to Depression
Just as depression has no single cause so I have no single approach to working with it.
Sometimes the focus can be very action orientated, using elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Life Coaching to break the deadening cycle of apathy and inertia.
Sometimes the focus is on specific difficulties – relationships, work, money, health etc. Talking about these issue can bring better understanding and a greater sense of control and empowerment, which in turn can help the depression to lift.
Sometimes the focus can be on you and the beliefs that you hold about yourself. It is easy to become depressed when you hold yourself in low esteem and of little worth.
I sometimes get asked “Are the problems in my life making me depressed, or is being depressed causing me to have problems?” My answer is that often one leads into the other to create a vicious downward spiral.
If you would like more information then please follow any of the links on this page or contact me directly. I always look forward to talking to new people and I’m very happy to answer any questions you may have about counselling or life coaching.
If I’m not available when you call then please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can.