When you are sad, the emotions overwhelming you have the power to interrupt your life. You might feel as if you don’t have the strength to get up out of your chair, let alone go about your day as if everything is normal, being there for those who depend on you. Episodes of depression can occur after a trauma or as the result of something more subtle you might not immediately recognize. Perhaps big transitions in your life are making you feel uncomfortable and down.
When you are sad, things that once caused you joy seem drained of color.
Whether you’re feeling a little down or think you might be suffering from depression, sorting through what’s going on in your life with a therapist can help bring color back into your thoughts. You can feel good again.
How did I get here?
Like happiness, sadness is a natural emotion; when you are sad, you’re reacting to something going on in your life. Many people also experience depression—disruptive, longer lasting sadness or emptiness that affects you physically as well as emotionally.
Depression can arise after a break-up, a pregnancy, financial uncertainty, a big move, or an illness. Depression can seep into your life as the result of a sustained negative relationship, chronic stress, or social isolation.
In short, depression is associated with many different common life experiences. It’s okay if you are sad, which means it’s also okay to ask for help. You don’t have to live with feelings of sadness forever.
When you are sad, how can therapy help?
Therapy can:
1. Find the source of your sadness
It’s difficult to solve a problem if you haven’t identified its roots. When you go to therapy, you bring someone onto your team who can help you look at what is and isn’t working in your life. Talking about where your sadness comes from brings the road toward peace into focus.
2. Understand what you’re feeling
Depression appears differently in the life of each person experiencing it. Irritability, exhaustion, and disinterest can be symptoms of depression you might not consciously associate with your sadness. A therapist can help you put together your problems and frustrations into a clearer, more whole picture of what’s going on in your life.
3. Put things into perspective
Sometimes when you are sad, the darkness in your mind can cloud everything and make you question the jobs and relationships that matter to you. Going to therapy can help you sort through your emotions. With the help of a therapist you’ll be better able to separate negative thoughts from reality.
4. Learn strategies for managing your sadness
The wonderful thing about therapy that you can’t find with medication alone is that when you leave your therapist, all the things you learned while problem-solving stay with you. Next time you feel down, you’ll already have the sense of clarity and the arsenal of tools you’ll need to work through a slump.
What will happen in therapy?
Several different types of therapy have the demonstrated ability to clear persistent sadness from your life. Mindfulness helps bring you back in touch with your feelings, grounding you in the present rather than in your negative thoughts. Psychodynamic therapy helps you connect past relationships and events with how you’re feeling today. Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on developing practical tools and positive thought patterns.
What happens in your therapy session depends on your personal needs—the single goal is to help you get back to feeling good. Whatever course of therapy is best for you, therapy allows you to access your own strength and your ability to affect personal change in a positive environment free of judgment.
