If you're struggling with depression, you may feel like you're lost in a darkness that's impossible to escape, but maybe depression isn't what some people have been telling us it is?
What if for someone who is empathic, and truly aware of the world's suffering, a state of profound sadness is a natural and rational response? What if it's a sign of a healthy, functioning conscience, rather than a broken mind?
This perspective reframes depression: perhaps the true sickness isn't feeling despair but being able to look at all the world's pain—both personal and global— but happily and continuously ignore it.
It's not that depression is a pleasant experience; we all know it’s not. It's that your sadness might be a completely valid and natural reaction to a world that's too often ‘depressing’!
Counselling can offer a non-medicalized perspective, one that can help you find meaning and purpose in your struggles.
From the informed counsellor’s viewpoint, depression isn't just a mental health diagnosis; it's a profoundly human response to life's challenges. Challenges that may not simply go away by ‘thinking positively’ and creating self-affirmations.
The Value of Talking it Through.
Even if depression is a natural response to the world, it can still be incredibly isolating and overwhelming. This is where talking to a therapist becomes invaluable. The counselling room is a safe space to explore these difficult feelings without judgment. Counsellors will acknowledge your experience, recognising that your sadness makes sense given the state of the world you perceive.
Speaking with a professional therapist allows you to explore the source of your despair and find ways to navigate it without being consumed by it. A counsellor can help you distinguish between the global pain you may be feeling and your own personal struggles. We can help you develop coping strategies that allow you to engage with the world's challenges in a way that feels meaningful and manageable, rather than overwhelming.
What to Expect from Counselling
By engaging with a counsellor, you can benefit from a more compassionate and empowering approach to managing depression. You can expect:
- A supportive and non-judgmental environment to explore your feelings and experiences.
- A focus on your growth and self-discovery, rather than just treating symptoms.
- Empowerment to take ownership of your life and make meaningful changes.
- A deeper understanding of yourself and your values, needs, and desires
- New coping strategies and a renewed sense of purpose
Ultimately, you'll be empowered to find meaning in your struggles and reconnect with yourself and the world on your own terms.
If you feel counselling is something you can benefit from, please do contact me