Honestly I’m not what to ask. I’d just like to seek some professional help.

Thank you for reaching out and submitting your question. I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing these challenges in your life.

Depression is a very common condition and it can have a variety of causes. It can be a complex and sometimes difficult to understand diagnosis. In some cases, the reasons for a depression episode are quite clear and obvious. For example, it is normal and expected to experience depression following major life stressors such as loss or after some type of traumatic event. Other times, certain individuals know they have a family history of depression, so they are not really surprised when they begin to encounter similar struggles.

Yet, there are some people who begin to have one or more episodes of depression in their lives. The blues, so to speak, come seemingly out of the blue. They do not understand or know why they are feeling depressed. They might reflect on their life and see no possible reason why they feel as they do. In fact, many people, including themselves, could look at their life and think it is “good” and perhaps even enviable. But the depression persists. For these people, they might hesitate to seek care as they worry about the possible pressure of having to justify why they feel down when life seems to be going so well. They simply cannot explain why they feel irritable, angry, and sad. It’s as if they don’t have a right to feel as they do.

Depression is currently one of the most frequently seen mental conditions in the country. The possible causes are incredibly varied. They can include life events and stressors, medical conditions, lifestyle, substance abuse, poor nutrition, and genetics. There can be one or multiple causes. And it is not always something which you can prevent from happening.

One of the best options to consider is talk therapy. A therapist will be able to complete a full assessment with you. This will include considering family history and the state of your own general health, along with reviewing lifestyle and other factors. The therapist can work with you to better determine what might be behind your depression. Because again, there can be many different reasons you could be depressed. Once the therapist has helped you identified better why this might be happening, they can partner with you to come up with a specific plan – a treatment plan which is tailored for you.

Often, in therapy, participants tend to feel an almost immediate sense of relief simply by way of unburdening themselves by expressing their feeling and circumstances with someone else. It can help tremendously to be heard and to have another person sit with you in the heaviness. You feel less alone and isolated, which can ease the burden of it all quite a bit. When we hold things in it can begin to feel like such a heavy burden to drag around. You may even physically feel pressed down and as if you have the weight of the world sitting atop you. Having someone there to offer support can be invaluable. Depression has a way, sometimes, of making you feel like a burden and liability (none of which is true). A therapist can help you identify and challenge these types of negative thoughts which frequently occur with this diagnosis.

A therapist, too, can bring a new and fresh perspective to the situation. Depression is especially notorious for causing brain fog. It becomes much more difficult to think clearly and to concentrate. Problem solving when you are depressed can begin to feel like an insurmountable mountain. A therapist can help you tackle the emotions and can assist you in tackling the challenge of the situation. They can help you find your way out of the darkness, bit by bit.

It is really hard to provide anything other than some generic, basic thoughts when the details of your particular situation are unknown. As noted, there can be so many causes. And each case can differ so much. The best advice is that it would be helpful for you to consider meeting one-on-one with a therapist to discuss your history, unique concerns, and your particular goals. Many people do no want to go on medications. In a lot of cases, there are many, many things which can be considered and incorporated apart from such an approach. Talk therapy is a great way to figure out what strategies will best suit you and your individual case.

Talking with a therapist should help you clarify things a lot better. And will give you the opportunity to come up with a plan of action that factors in your desire to avoid medications. Because we cannot know your history or details, it is really impossible to state whether or not medication would or would not be advised. You would definitely need to be assessed thoroughly by a qualified medical provider first.