During quarantine, others may be slow to notice your depression. That means you have to be brutally honest with yourself.
Depression, whether it’s your first episode or your fifth, is incredibly difficult. The symptoms of depression include low energy, feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and irritability, changes in sleep patterns, frequent crying, and social isolation. These symptoms are usually hard to hide from other people. Friends and loved ones may express concern, encourage you to see a therapist, and get you up and moving, even when you don’t feel like it. They know that it’s hard to cure depression by lying in bed.
In a Time of Social Distancing, Depression May Be Hard For Others To Pick Up On
Your usual support system may be confined to their home and unable to come by to see how you are doing. They may be distracted and stressed from the current state of the world. Given all of this, you may be able to hide your depression more easily than usual. Hiding the symptoms of depression is not the way to go.
Now Is The Time to Dig Down Deep and Fight Your Depression
Fighting your struggles with depression starts by acknowledging them. First, while you may be isolated, know you are not alone. A lot of people are going to be coping with depressive symptoms from the pandemic and its aftermath. Coronavirus, after all, has affected everyone. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to fight back.
5 Steps to Battle Depression:
Be honest about the state of your depression. If you are deeply depressed and/or having suicidal thoughts, you must reach out to a medical professional and get help immediately. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.- Make small goals and celebrate small successes. Your goal may be something that sounds small like taking a shower for the first time in a few days. What we know about depression is that it fools your body and mind into feeling like even small tasks are insurmountable. In making these goals for yourself and keeping them, you are showing your depression that you are the boss of it.
- Don’t wait to do things until you “feel like it.” Depression causes you to feel like not doing much of anything for a long time. Though it feels counter-intuitive, you will recover from depression faster if you start doing things even though you don’t want to. This means reaching out to a friend through text, walking your dog, or making a rule that you are not allowed to get back in bed before nightfall. A big portion of the battle is showing up for yourself.
- Get a guide to help chart the way. Whether you use a book, an app, or a counselor, you need some structure while you are working your way out of depression. A book or an app can get you started; a counselor can provide you with professional insight, support, and accountability to keep you progressing.
- Take steps to stay connected. Depression thrives in isolation so it is important that you make time for virtual meet-ups with friends and family. Be honest about how you are doing so the people in your life can offer support.
If You’re Struggling, Please Consider Online Therapy
If you are feeling depressed during this quarantine, please reach out to a therapist in your area. Many counselors are offering online therapy sessions. So you can help you get the support you need without ever having to leave your home! During online therapy for depression, you will learn the tools and techniques to cope with the symptoms of depression. This will allow you to find peace from the things that are upsetting you during this difficult time in your life.
Begin Online Therapy for Depression in Virginia:
If you are looking for online therapy to cope with depression symptoms, Nova Terra Therapy can help! We provide online therapy to adults who live in the state of Virginia. We want to help you navigate this challenging time in your life and support you on your mental health journey. To begin online therapy in Virginia, please follow these steps:
- Contact our Virginia counseling clinic to set up a free 15-minute phone or video consultation to learn more about depression treatment,
- Meet with one of our counselors,
- Begin your journey to find relief from your depression!
Other services offered by Nova Terra Therapy:
In addition to providing depression treatment, Our Burke, VA therapy office and online therapy practice offers a variety of comprehensive mental health services to adults in the Washington DC area. Ultimately, we hope you will make time to care for you and your mental health in therapy.
Our therapists specialize in providing individual therapy, CBT, anxiety treatment, relationship counseling, trauma treatment and PTSD treatment, and EMDR. We offer online counseling to Virginia residents. Also, we would like to invite you to visit our blog for more mental health tips and wellness information. Please contact our Washington DC area mental health clinic to learn more about the many ways we can support you or your loved one in counseling.