Are you feeling depressed? Not everyone is installed with a strong mental framework to surf the rough tide during turbulent times. Many people often crumble during tough times, burdened with pain, sadness, anger, grief, among other negative feelings that overshadow the positive aspects of life. These conditions typically define depression and a depressed person is often less likely to discover the optimistic side of life.

Unless, they receive guidance… Let’s find out how.

What is Depression?

Depression is the persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest, and anger towards things while the main cause may not be directly visible on the surface level. While it is normal to feel sad, lose interests in things, and even experience extreme anger, the persistence of these feelings may lead to clinical depression or major depressive episodes. 

A person living with depression often wakes up to a sense of despair, feeling of hopelessness, sadness, and may even appear ‘normal’ to the external world. Here, what’s happening internally is rarely expressed externally which makes depression difficult to trace in normal life.

Try the Beck’s Depression Inventory Assessment, now!

Who is prone to depression?

Everyone is prone to depression, although genetic and environmental factors may make some people more susceptible to depression than others. Research shows that persons between the age of 18 and 29 are three times more likely to be diagnosed with depression compared to people who are aged 60 and above. Also, females experience between 1.5 times to 3 times more depression than males during early adolescence. These statistics signal vulnerable populations. 

A depressed person can be living alone or with a family, he/she could be a child in school or an office goer. He/she could be a famous personality or even a millionaire. A depressed person may have it all, and yet the signs of depression continue to persist in normal life. Depression in children does exist and must not be ignored.

There are different types of depression which are noted at 3 levels. Let’s take a look.

Signs of Depression and its 3 Stages

There are many stages and types of depression. The definitions vary in terms of persistence and clinical diagnosis of symptoms. However, what you need to know are the progressive stages of depression. The stages of depression include mild, moderate, and severe depression. The causes of depression may vary from individual to individual.

1. Mild Depression 

Sometimes, you cannot categorize exactly how you feel, but you know that you are feeling low,  The temporary feeling of sadness may repeat often even between the ‘happy phases’ of life. This kind of switch is referred to as a mild depression. Symptoms of mild depression go on for days and may begin interfering with daily schedules. Mild depression causes you to feel anger, hopelessness, anxiety, and self-hatred, among other undesirable feelings. If left unchecked, mild depression may escalate to moderate and then severe depression. If you experience mild depression symptoms between 3 to 4 days a week, you need to be concerned about your mental health with a focus on self-care. 

2. Moderate Depression 

While most people say that a moderate measure is better than extreme highs or lows, this does not apply in depression. Moderate depression is more pronounced than mild depression; that is, it is easy to observe moderate depression since it affects daily life and work schedules. It is also easier to diagnose moderate depression because the symptoms are clearly visible and can be mitigated early enough. However, if left unchecked, moderate depression may escalate to persistent depression. With mild depression, you are split between being okay and acting normal. When you can easily determine that you are not okay and are feeling depressed, that is moderate depression. 

3. Severe or Chronic Depression

Well, depression may go from mild to moderate and then, severe or chronic depression. The commonly used medical term to refer to severe depression is Major Depressive Episode or sometimes Chronic Depression. 

At this stage, a person suffering from depression may experience delusions, hallucinations, and suicidal thoughts/behaviors. 

In regard to behavior, one may experience manic depression, which is a prelude to bipolar disorder. Manic depression occurs in such a way one feels temporary high and low moods, which may start to recur frequently. As such, it is crucial to seek help and healing from depression through a mental health professional, as soon as you observe any of these stages. 

Mental Health and Depression: When Should One Seek a Counselor?

According to cognitive behavioral therapy standards, a person needs to see a counselor once he/she  is trapped in the cognitive triad of depression. The cognitive triad of depression (refer diagram) refers to a person who has a negative view of himself or herself, the environment, and their relation with others.

• If one is feeling low or hopeless in life, it is an indication to seek types of therapy for depression from seasoned mental health counselors. 
• If anyone experiences interpersonal difficulties and feels depressed, i.e. difficulty in maintaining personal or familial relationships leading to isolation, this also be an indicator that a person needs to seek help from a counselor.  
• Persistent feelings of sadness, anger, loneliness, hopeless thoughts, and suicidal intentions are also an indication to seek clinical support and healing from depression counselors.
• In depression, people start experiencing lack of interest in things they used to enjoy before. Sometimes, it's temporary and some may try to return to their normal life through self-help methods. If one however cannot recover from any of the signs of depression  by himself, he/she must seek help from depression counselors.

Seeking online help for depression? Book an appointment with Mental Strength Professional, now!

So, Should You Visit a Counselor or a Coach for Depression? 

Sometimes all one needs is a little bit of direction on how to proceed ahead in life. You can either seek the best counseling for depression to resolve past traumas or find a life coach to develop future goals.

When should you seek a counselor for depression?
To resolve feelings of depression
To move over from past trauma
To erase self-limiting beliefs
To work on emotion management
To learn to live without emotional baggage

When should you seek a professional Life Coach?

A life coach helps you look ahead with greater confidence. 

• A life coach makes you work on your confidence levels, resourcefulness and intelligence to draw a recovery plan for your depression. When you accept depression, you can make the first step towards acknowledging your need for recovery. 
• Coaches are empathetic listeners, who are there to create a safe space for their clients. Such a space encourages the client to share their thoughts and objectively question their issues. A coach helps their client recognize and actualize their problem-solving potential, intelligence and resourcefulness thereby giving the power back to the client.

Counseling as well as coaching are both necessary for those suffering from depression. It works on healing the root causes (through counseling) to ensure greater clarity in life( via coaching). 

What next?
Are you having signs of depression?  Do you want to talk about your issues for healing from depression? Click here to book an appointment with a Mental Strength Professional. They are trained to help you find ways to get out of depression and live a life that is aligned to your goals. All sessions are 100% confidential and bookings can be made online. 

So, let’s talk! Because, it’s no longer taboo.