Privatpraxis für
Psychotherapie
Depression - what is it?
Have you had the feeling for a long time that everything no longer makes sense? Have you been troubled for a long time? Have you recently lost your interest in hobbies and friends? Would you like to stay in bed all day long? Do you feel like you could cry all the time? All of these are conditions that can indicate a depression.
Depression is characterized primarily by a depressed, pessimistic mood and loss of interest and is often accompanied by a lack of motivation. In many cases, this leads to social withdrawal. Despite lack of energy, sufferers often have sleep disorders. You may often suffer from loss of appetite and lose weight unintentionally. Problems of concentration and attention are often the result. Many sufferers lose confidence and are tormented by feelings of worthlessness. In particularly severe cases, depression can even result in suicidal thoughts and attempts.
All of these symptoms can occur for a short time in the course of life (e.g. after severe blows of fate). However, if they occur not only for a few days, but over a longer period of time, and if you feel you can no longer get yourself out of this crisis, it is important to get professional advice. There are many different forms of depression. It can be characterized by a single phase or by recurring episodes. For some people pessimistic mood even persists for years.
How is depression treated?
Depression is a serious medical condition
which means great suffering for those affected and their relatives if left untreated. However, it can be treated well. Depending on the severity of the disease, either psychotherapy or medical drug therapy in combination with psychotherapy is the treatment method of choice.
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An exclusively psychotherapeutic treatment of depression has proven itself especially for mild to moderate depression. There are different approaches to treating depression psychologically. At the beginning of therapy, it is important that the problem is explored and that you, as the person affected, are informed about the diagnosis and the disease.
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Depending on the severity of your illness, one of the first steps is to get you used to regular activities that you used to enjoy. These can be "amusements" such as sports, walks or meeting friends, but also "duties" such as doing housework or gardening. Another step in treatment is dealing with old and current conflicts.
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The aim is to explore the connection between these conflicts and depression. An important part of therapy is also strengthening your self-confidence. I will help you to (re-) discover your strengths and learn to accept the past and possibly free yourself from feelings of guilt. For many sufferers, grief processing after losses also plays a major role in therapy.