Depressive feelings

Depressive feelings – what does it feel like?

A depressive state is typically characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness and hopelessness. It’s far from the same as being just sad or merely having a “bad day” which we all experience from time to time. It feels much more painful. If you suffer from depressive feelings or is about to get a depression, you’ll feel very down and overwhelmed with hopelessness. You’ll typically experience negative thoughts and self-blame which takes up a lot of space in your mind. It could be thoughts such as “I’m not good enough”, “everything is hopeless” or “why do I feel this way?”. If you battle depression, you’ll lose the ability to challenge these negative thoughts and in turn everything starts to look very difficult and sad.  

How does a depressive state occur?

Depressive symptoms can arise after having experienced difficult life circumstances. This could be circumstances such as divorce, having a persistent heavy workload or being fired from one’s job. Depressive symptoms can also occur due to seasonal changes if one feels very negatively impacted by the weather during winter.  Other people experience depressive symptoms when facing different existential life themes (e.g., being single, experiencing infertility, not knowing which path to take in life or having doubts about one’s relationship).  

Symptoms of a depressive state:

There are certain symptoms you should be aware of when talking about depression. Perhaps you recognize some of the following:

• Feeling down and sad
• Ruminating a lot
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty remembering things
• Insomnia – or increased need to sleep
• Feeling guilty
• Suicidal thoughts
• Eating more or less than you usually do

Furthermore it’s completely normal that you feel less energetic and feel fatigued. You might even feel more inclined to cry. You can also feel more restless or lose interest in things that usually bring you joy. You start to care less, and you might cancel social activities and stop responding to phone calls or e-mails. You isolate yourself and start to decrease activities you used to do. Perhaps you also spend a lot of time in bed.  

When do I seek help?

It might be a good idea to seek professional help if you have experienced the abovementioned symptoms for several weeks, or perhaps even months. If so, it’s likely that you’re suffering from depression.

Depressive state and misconceptions

There are many myths and misconceptions about depression which can make it more challenging to battle it.

In modern society it has become rather popular to say things such as “I felt depressed on Saturday” or “I’m completely depressed”. Depression is however not just a feeling that comes and goes, but rather a state of mind you can be stuck in for a long period of time. Depression is not equivalent to experiencing grief or normal “sadness”. When you feel depressed it can be difficult to describe exactly how you feel. When you feel depressed, you’ll start to feel more or less down during a day or a week, but the general state remains the same over time. Another myth is that depression is merely about your attitude towards life, and you should “just get yourself together”. When you battle depression it’s not simply changing your thoughts or taking more initiative to change your life. It can be difficult for people to understand how heavy a depression can feel if one has never experienced it. At the same time, it can be challenging for the person battling depression to even explain why it’s difficult to think or act differently. Are you battling a depressive state and find it difficult to navigate through it? Then please don’t hesitate to contact us by e-mail: kontakt@kognitivpsykologpraksis.dk or by phone: +45 53 88 12 00.  We have a lot of experience with treating depression.

We offer both physical sessions in our cozy clinic in Copenhagen as well as online therapy sessions. We have a lot of experience with conducting online therapy sessions and are always happy to help you no matter where you might be located in the world! Just remember that you are not alone, and being overwhelmed with sadness and hopelessness doesn’t have to be chronic. We can help you overcome your it and get back to life.