People often puzzle over complex questions that seem to have no answers. While some people may just ignore such questions, others may confront them quite frequently. Research data shows that more than 50% of U.S. adults wonder about the meaning of life at least once a month.
Sometimes, such thoughts may get out of control and negatively affect your life, fueling depression. While there is no such official diagnosis as existential depression, depressive disorders can stem from difficult questions that you just cannot answer. What is the meaning of life? What is your big purpose? What is happiness? Sometimes, such questions can lead to a lot of discomfort.
What existential depression feels like
Given that existential depression isn’t an official diagnosis, this term can be used when talking about different kinds of depressive disorders rooted in the feelings caused by unanswerable questions. This is depression that stems from overanalyzing one’s life and searching for deeper meaning.
It’s important to keep in mind that people with depression don’t necessarily look sad all the time. For instance, people with persistent depressive disorder may deal with their regular responsibilities and do everything other people do. Major depressive disorder may also manifest itself differently from person to person.
Generally, the most common symptom of depression is a feeling of lost purpose and meaning. One may also feel hopeless and sad for no obvious reason. Another distinctive feature of depression is that a person becomes unable to enjoy things that used to bring pleasure. Depression may also seriously damage one’s motivation and significantly decrease the general level of life satisfaction.
When left untreated, symptoms of depression may get worse with time. Severe depression is associated with suicidal thoughts and self-harm behavior, so it’s particularly important to receive professional help on time. If you start to feel symptoms of depression, you can opt for depression counseling and determine the root causes of the problem before the symptoms get too intense.
How therapy can help
As more and more people turn to antidepressants, it may seem like medications are the only possible type of treatment. However, the truth is that every case is unique, and there is no pill that would work well for everyone. Moreover, in many cases, depression can be treated without any medication.
Talk therapy has proven to be effective when treating many kinds of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, self-esteem problems, and many more. There are several types of therapy used by mental health professionals when treating depression, and we’re going to consider them in more detail later in this article.
Different modalities of therapy have something in common: a client talks to a therapist. As a result, different therapy modalities are often called “talk therapy,” which is an umbrella term that includes all kinds of therapy that involve conversations between clients and therapists.
Therapists may choose the type of therapy based on the severity of symptoms, frequency of episodes, and other individual factors. A therapist’s main goal is to provide enough acceptance and understanding so that the client can openly address even the most problematic issues.
The therapist helps the client understand the root causes of the problem. For instance, your depression can be caused by negative thinking patterns or childhood traumas. The therapist also provides the client with some sort of homework, which may include worksheets, journaling, or mindfulness practices. The client also learns coping strategies that can be helpful in their specific situation.
Types of therapy
While some therapeutic modalities focus on a particular problem, others may aim to improve a client’s overall mental well-being. As a result, the treatment process may take more or less time. Here are some of the most common types of therapy used to treat depression.
Psychodynamic therapy
This type of therapy is based on the psychoanalysis theory developed by Sigmund Freud back in the 1890s. Since then, psychoanalysis evolved significantly, and the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy was proven by researchers.
The idea behind this type of therapy is that the causes of our emotional struggles can be rooted in our unconscious. Therapy aims to bring the suppressed things back to the conscious. Psychodynamic therapy is less problem-focused and may take more time, being intended to teach a client to deal with a vast variety of uncomfortable situations and symptoms.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
This is probably the most common type of therapy because it has proven to be effective when treating a vast range of mental health disorders, it focuses on a specific problem, and the therapy process doesn’t take much time.
CBT is based on the idea that unwanted behaviors and emotions are rooted in unhelpful thinking patterns. Therapy aims to identify these patterns, challenge them, and eventually replace them.
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
This type of therapy stems from CBT but it’s usually used when replacing negative thoughts is very difficult. For instance, DBT is often used when dealing with bipolar disorder or other problems that involve particularly strong emotions. When changing certain thoughts is too difficult, DBT balances change and acceptance.
Interpersonal therapy
As the name suggests, this type of therapy has to do with relationships. Interpersonal therapy is aimed to help a client improve social skills and learn more about communication in different social situations. As a result, this type of therapy involves a lot of roleplay exercises.
How to receive therapy for depression
While traditional therapy has required clients to commute to therapists’ offices, the internet enabled everyone to receive the so-needed help from virtually anywhere. With online therapy platforms like Calmerry, you can just answer a few questions about your symptoms and get matched with a licensed therapist from your state within an hour.
You can send unlimited text messages or schedule video calls to imitate the traditional therapy setting and discuss things that require particular attention from your therapist. Moreover, if you’re not satisfied with your online therapy experience, you can switch therapists for free.
The accessibility and flexibility of online therapy make it a great solution for people with busy work schedules. You can prioritize your mental health and improve your emotional well-being while also having enough time for work and family. Don’t let depression get worse, and don’t hesitate to reach out for help. You deserve a happy, fulfilling life.
