Many people seek counseling to treat their depression. Depression is more than just feeling sad. Depression involves persistent sadness and other physical and mental symptoms. Some common symptoms of depression include:
- Fatigue
- Increased or decreased sleeping
- Increased or decreased appetite
- Thoughts of suicide
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Loss of interest in activities
- Difficulty concentrating
- Lack of motivation
- Irritability
- Muscle aches
The first step in treating depression is to diagnose it, which can only be done by a trained medical or mental health professional. Some people chose to take medication for their depression. While medication can help treat some symptoms of depression, the goal of counseling is to help a person to discover and deal with the root of their depression. There are many different reasons why people become depressed. People with depression often struggle with one or more of the following:
- Trauma
- Low self-esteem
- Poor family relationships
- Poor coping skills
The first step in counseling is to begin to understand how and why the depression developed. The next step is to begin dealing with the causes of depression, while learning coping skills for everyday situations.