Often people use that to mean that they are feeling momentarily down or sad, or perhaps disappointed, in a particular situation.
But depression isn’t just sadness. It’s about feeling sad most of the day, nearly every day, for an extended period of time. It’s about losing interest or pleasure in things that you used to enjoy, to the extent that you may not even feel like getting out of bed. It’s about changes in your sleep – some people sleep too much, whereas others have insomnia. It’s about changes in your appetite – some people eat more than usual, whereas others lose their appetite. It’s about difficulty concentrating and making decisions, as well as feeling guilty or worthless. Many people often experience thoughts of death or suicide.
Depression can feel like a dark hole that’s impossible to get out of. However, there is always hope! Studies show that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an effective way to help overcome depression.
People often have very negative thoughts and beliefs about themselves, the world and their future when they are depressed. The “Cognitive” part of CBT focuses on challenging these thoughts and beliefs to help you see things in a more balanced, rather than negative, light.
When people feel depressed, they often withdraw, which makes them feel worse, causing them to withdraw further. The “Behavioural” part of CBT aims to reverse that cycle by engaging you in activities that you find enjoyable or that give you a sense of accomplishment. As you do more of these tasks, your mood tends to improve, and you gain additional motivation to do more.