How to get out of depression?
One of our patients has asked me to share their story so that it can reach as many people as possible and hopefully be of use to someone. At Psycolocity, confidentiality is paramount, which is why we will change some of the patient's personal information to protect their information.
I suffered from a bout of depression a few years ago. I went from profound sadness to profound apathy regarding the events of my life. The final straw was losing my job at age 47, a job I'd held for the last 20 years of my life.
I want to share my story with you because I'm sure many of us have gone through this situation, which was truly difficult for me. Each case has its own unique characteristics, but I think it can be very helpful.
Some of the symptoms I began to experience were a feeling of profound incapacity for things I used to do quite naturally. Anything that came from outside made me very nervous, especially if it involved unexpected events.
I began to realize that I no longer enjoyed the things I used to love, like playing my Thursday soccer game with my high school friends. I stopped attending because I didn't really enjoy it anymore, which led me to withdraw from my friends and my social life dwindled to a minimum. I stopped caring about others.
I began to feel so out of control over my emotions that crying was a daily occurrence, and no matter how hard I tried to suppress it, I couldn't. This confirmed the isolation I had, because I knew I'd want to cry at any moment, and of course, I didn't want to be watched. In my time alone, I'd look at a photo or listen to a song, and they were practically triggers for another uncontrollable weeping.
I began to realize that my temperament was changing rapidly. My thoughts fluctuated between "I'm afraid" and "I can't." I heard people close to me, whether friends or family, repeatedly say that my temperament had changed, to the point that a cousin advised me to seek professional help.
After much back-and-forth, a lot of indecision, insecurity, fear, and a lack of desire to do it, I decided to find someone on my own, and today I can say that was the turning point in my recovery plan.
What benefits did I find with the help of a professional?
Seeking professional help is one of the best decisions I've ever made. It opened up new horizons for me and brought with it a light I hadn't seen in a long time.
Finally, after searching for quite some time, I was invited to participate in a recruitment process for a position I found very interesting. I explained in therapy that I was very afraid of attending this interview, even though it was very important to me. My psychologist recommended some breathing techniques, and I learned to recognize my emotions, accept them, and manage them.
Today I can attest that with the help of a professional, my life changed. The hardest part was raising my hand and asking for help, and I'll never forget what they told me in that first session. Today you've gone 50% of the way: recognizing you have a problem and asking for help.
Depression caused me to feel perpetually insecure, but with the help of my psychologist, I learned to properly assess every circumstance of my daily life. I learned to find a person I could pour out all my worries, insecurities, and fears on without fear of being judged, criticized, or criticized, and who I knew would give me advice from the outside with complete impartiality and objectivity.
How to overcome depression?
I certainly had to get involved, acknowledge what was hurting me, accept it, and take responsibility for my destiny, but my psychologist knew how to patiently guide me along this new path I was about to embark on. He taught me to be more aware of the present, to perceive time more clearly. I began to break out of that vicious cycle of fear of the future and to stop feeling guilty about the past. I understood that the fears of things I think are going to happen never actually happen.
It helped me realize that I often have thoughts that are completely unrelated, and that they don't even happen. I learned to free myself from all the emotional strain that came with constantly thinking about things from the past and the future.
I began to build a new emotional framework, feeling supported by a professional who could always guide me objectively through any situation, explaining to me that I'm not always right—but from a realistic perspective, grounded in the psychologist's knowledge.
Love yourself!
You are your best friend, your greatest influence, and the greatest agent of change. You must also be careful, because sometimes we fall into saying mean things to ourselves or treating ourselves poorly. To overcome depression, it's essential to learn to love yourself; of course, it sounds easy; but for that, there's the help of a professional who will guide you along the way.
Being depressed makes us think that any activity won't help or be of any use, but I personally had the experience of practicing certain hobbies I had in the past, which I found incredibly fulfilling, in small ways; and I began to feel a growing sense of relief.
I learned to pay close attention to my negative thoughts and focus on what was positive, redeemable, and satisfying. At first, it wasn't easy to find those thoughts, but I started writing down a negative idea, with the stipulation that I wouldn't add another negative one until I'd added a positive one. I began to balance the list until I reached the point where the positive ones outnumbered me. It took time, but it happened.
What you say to yourself does matter.
When we're suffering from depression, the number of thoughts that come to mind is immense, and negative ones usually predominate. The number of thoughts is so high that we're left exhausted at the end of the day.
A psychologist can help you identify, transform, and manage them.
Regain control and hope for your life
Each case has its own unique characteristics and requires a different treatment, and this is where the psychologist will intervene to establish the appropriate mechanisms that work for each particular case. Often, it will be necessary to pause, rethink, or correct the process, since curing depression is not a straight path. It has peaks, valleys, lethargy, and sometimes setbacks, but it is important to understand that when embarking on a healing process, there is no single path.
A psychologist is a great help because, in addition to supporting you on this journey, they will provide you with an objective and impartial perspective. This will be different from a recommendation from a friend, which, while well-intentioned, may not be as effective as you might hope.
Depression isn't resolved with a "cheer up" or a "get going" response; it's a condition that saps willpower and makes decision-making difficult. If you know or know someone who is experiencing this condition, you should be aware that they are making a great effort to carry out routine activities, no matter how simple they may seem.
Once you become aware of what's happening to you, you'll have the necessary tools to cope with any situation. With therapeutic support, you'll learn these techniques and paths that will lead you to your path. It will certainly take time and will likely be a complex process, but you'll know you made the best decision when you feel free of all those thoughts and feelings.
If you want to improve your well-being, we at Psycolocity can help. Contact us and BE your best self.