Depression Counselling, Therapy and CBT in London

What is Depression? What are the Symptoms?

Depression is one of the most common psychological difficulties affecting around one in five people, and it’s one of the main reasons people ask for help from Therapy Central. It is characterised by low mood and sadness. In addition, other feelings that some people experience are loneliness, numbness, irritability and anger. Depression can affect the way people think. It can contribute to self-critical thoughts (negative thoughts about oneself e.g. “I’m worthless”, “I’m not good enough”, “I’m a failure”), lack of confidence in oneself, lack of assertiveness, hopelessness, thinking the worst case scenario in situations, lack of concentration and poor memory.

Some people may experience suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming themselves. People with depression can also experience unpleasant physical symptoms, such as headaches, tiredness, lethargy, poor sleep and appetite can increase or decrease. Motivation to engage in activities often reduces and people with depression can have a tendency to isolate themselves. On the one hand this may provide temporary relief by not having to face situations that one does not have energy for. However, individuals then miss out on engaging in activities that may bring a sense of enjoyment, achievement and closeness to others that could instead help to lift mood. In turn this can lead to a less fulfilling life which can further lower mood. Depression counselling can help reverse this negative trend.

People Experience Depression in Different Ways

We experience the above to varying degrees and they can last for a short or a long period of time. People may have a single depressive episode or it can be recurrent, meaning people experience several depressive episodes over time. Moreover, many people who experience depression and low mood also experience anxiety. Anxiety and depression are often two sides of the same coin. For example, people with obsessive-compulsive tendencies (OCD), which is an anxiety-based issue, may often feel very low and develop depressive symptoms as a consequence of often feeling anxious; the same can happen to people who are struggling with an eating disorder. Work stress and relationship problems may also arise for people suffering from depression. Psychotherapy and counselling for depression may involve dealing also with these parallel issues.

Why do we Feel Depressed?

There are many reasons that lead to depression. Life can be difficult at times and it may not go exactly how we had planned. For instance, we can face challenges big and small such as bereavement, loss of a job, financial problems, relationship difficulties, work stressors and poor health. However, there is not one single cause of depression for everyone. And the reason for developing it can differ from person to person. It may be the result of one single stressor or difficulty or deriving from a combination of these. Moreover, it is believed that difficult childhood experiences can contribute to someone being vulnerable to developing depression in later life. Therapy and counselling for depression very often involve looking at the factors that allowed it to emerge in the first place.

Does Depression Counselling Work? How?

Yes, depression counselling does work. Systematic reviews [1] provided a large amount of evidence that psychological therapies, including CBT and counselling are very effective for depression. The elective treatment for low mood are talking therapies, such as psychotherapy and counselling (there are many types of therapy approaches), and sometimes antidepressant medications (which should always be discussed with your medical doctor for benefits and side effects). Low mood therapy can involve working together with your therapist (often a psychologist) to understand what unique factors have contributed to its development.

In your therapy sessions for depression, your therapist can also work with you to explore the vicious cycles you may be currently experiencing and help you find ways to break out of these cycles this is often the case with CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). See an example of a CBT vicious Cycle of depression below). For example, some people may find it helpful to be supported to gradually become more active and to address unpleasant thinking patterns. Rather than focus on strategies, it may be beneficial for you to have depression counselling to have an in-depth exploration of the current challenges you face. These are likely to be lowering your mood.

When Should I Get Therapy for Depression?

If you are struggling with low mood, sadness or depression (whether it is mild, moderate or severe), it is having a significant impact upon your life and you feel stuck, now is the time to receive therapy for depression. As much as you do not want to feel this way it can be difficult to change on your own. It can help to have a warm and safe space to explore and address your problem with depression to fight off those demons.

If you are look for depression counselling in Central London, contact Therapy Central where one of our experienced therapists can help.

What are the Benefits of Depression Counselling?

It can be easier to speak with a trained depression therapist as opposed to a friend or relative. At Therapy Central we have experienced counsellors, psychologists and therapists specialised in treating depression and low mood who will actively listen to you, they will provide a comfortable, warm and non-judgmental space for you to explore and manage your depression. They will help you to find answers to your problems.

There can be many benefits of receiving counselling for depression, including:

• Help you to gain a more thorough understanding of your depression, its causes and what maintains it. This provides good insight into how to manage it and prevent it from occurring in the future. This can be empowering.
• Help you to learn coping strategies to combat depression
• Develop more self-compassion
• Improve your quality of life
• Reduce medication use
• Improve mood, sleep, energy, concentration and motivation levels
• Makes it easier to speak about your problems to others
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Gain a different and healthier perspective on situations
• Improve relationships

Depression Therapy, Counselling & CBT in Central London

If you are looking for depression therapy in London, at Therapy Central we can help you learn the strategies you need to start beating the blues and understand the causes of your low mood. As a result, you’ll be enabled to make the crucial changes to bring balance and fulfilment back into your life. No one should face depression alone.

Start Beating Depression in London today

Get professional help with Depression in London today. Contact us for a free 15 min consultation with a Depression Therapist to see if our help would fit your needs. You can also get in touch via email at info@therapy-central.com or call us at (+44) 020 348 82797.

Our comfortable and confidential therapy rooms are conveniently located 3 min walk from Oxford Circus station, in Central London (see map below). Change starts with Talking!