How Do I Find A Good Depression Therapist?

If you're struggling with depression, you know how difficult it can be to get through a single day. It may seem like everything is conspiring against you, and you don't know how to push yourself through. Fortunately, you don't have to continue to live like that. There are ways to work through your problems and start to overcome them, pushing you back toward the life you want. 

You can live a healthy and happy life, but it's going to take hard work, requiring effort, fortitude, and persistence. One way you can ensure that you are able to properly work through your depression and get to the other side is to look for a therapist. You don't have to work this problem alone.

Keep reading to learn more about what depression looks like and how to find someone to help you work through it.

What is depression?

Many people think that someone who is depressed feels sad all the time, which is not necessarily the case. In fact, someone with depression may have entire days that feel great or "normal," while other days feel awful. Depression, unfortunately, is a disorder that wears on you. One day, you may feel like everything is great again, and your depression is gone, only to be hit even harder by your symptoms the very next day. It can sneak up on you, and it can make you feel a whole lot more than just sad.

Sadness or feelings of depression are just one of the symptoms to watch out for. A lack of interest in activities or events that were once liked or changes to appetite, including weight loss or weight gain, difficulty getting the right amount of sleep (sleeping too much or too little), increased tiredness, lack of energy, and slowed movements can all be signs of depression. Feelings of guilt or even worthlessness, trouble with decision making, thinking, or concentrating are all symptoms to watch out for as well.

To be diagnosed with depression, an individual must experience some combination of these symptoms (though not all of them need to be present) for at least two weeks. A diagnosis may be made by a primary care physician, a psychiatrist, or a psychologist. Once a diagnosis is made, a treatment plan can be put into place. Your depression doesn't need to be in control, and it shouldn't be in control.

Getting help for depression

While there are various schools of thought about how mental illness develops, at its core, depression is considered a neurological condition with noticeable mental blocks, harmful thought patterns, and cognitive distortions. It is often a response to a negative event, although genetics can contribute to the condition. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, depression becomes a problem when normal stressors (job changes, moves, loss of a loved one, etc.) cause a response severe enough to disrupt one's daily life Depression does not necessarily have a single cause. In psychology, depression is considered an illness that requires treatment, not a type of personality or character flaw. Therefore, depression treatment should be medical in nature, not telling someone to "chin up" or "just move on."

Medication prescribed by your doctor or a psychiatrist can help with depression symptoms, but they may not work all by themselves. Working with a therapist (along with any medication you are taking) may be the key to truly overcoming your depression.

Finding the right therapist can be a process, but it's important to find the right person. If you don't feel comfortable with your therapist, you're not going to be inclined to open up to them, and if you're not completely open and honest about the things you're experiencing and feeling, you're going to have a hard time getting the help that you need. After all, how can they help you through your experiences and situation if they don't understand what it is you're going through?

 Finding a good therapist to treat your depression

Once you've been diagnosed with depression—or even if you just suspect that's what's going on—you should seek out a therapist. However, finding a professional can be difficult to do if you have never had a therapist before. You may not know what you're looking for, or you may not know how to check if a therapist will be a good one. Recommendations, reviews, and even a search for a therapist's education and accreditation can give you a place to start.

Those factors can help you narrow down some of the choices and even pick someone to try out, but your number one way of choosing the right therapist will be how you feel about them. A therapist needs to know what they are doing, but you also need someone you can feel comfortable with, and that may require you to talk to a few people before landing on the right one. 

Just having a conversation with a therapist may be enough to let you know whether or not you click with them. If you do, then you may want to try a whole session with them. If you don't, it's a good idea to move on to someone else.

Whatever you're thinking or feeling, there is help for you. There is hope for you and a future for you. There are people out there who love you and want you to succeed, and your therapist is going to step in for those people during your sessions. 

Your therapist is also going to be a sounding board for you. That means you don't have to worry about hurting their feelings as you might if you told your partner all your negative feelings. You don't have to worry about sounding "ungrateful" when you explain to a friend that you know you come from an excellent background, but you don't feel happy.

Your therapist isn't going to judge the way you think or feel—these are things that are personal to you, and they're not something that anyone else can truly understand unless they've been in your position. By working with a therapist, you'll be able to work your way through some of these negative feelings, and you'll be able to help yourself move on with your life in a way that works best for you.

Online support for depression is available

Dealing with depression can be challenging. Depression can make it difficult to get up and get help. However, there are things you can do to begin to feel better. This can start with a proper diagnosis and then finding a therapist you feel comfortable working with.

If you're unsure where to turn to find the help you're looking for, you're not alone. Many people struggle to find a therapist, either because they don't feel comfortable with the ones around them or because they don't want the stigma of walking into an office that everyone knows is therapy. But the help you need is out there in a different way—online therapy. With online therapy, you can talk to your therapist online without ever going to a physical office. Online therapy can offer the same benefits as in-person therapy. You can meet with someone who will be both nonjudgmental and attentive to your particular needs. You won’t even need to leave your couch to get the support you need.

An online platform such as BetterHelp provides a wide range of licensed therapists. You can be matched to one who has trained to work with those who have depression—or any number of other mental health disorders. You'll have flexibility with your BetterHelp therapist—sessions can happen via text, telephone, or video call.