It’s okay if you just haven’t felt like yourself lately

are you dealing with a loss of motivation and energy? have you noticed you feel disinterested in things that normally bring you joy?

if these feelings sound familiar, you may be wondering if depression is at the root of it all.

It’s hard to put into words, but maybe just getting out of bed in the morning or brushing your teeth feels like running a marathon. Perhaps you feel a heavy weight, and the world that was once in color is now in gray. Deep down, you just don’t feel good. As a result, it’s hard to find the motivation to do anything. You might notice yourself going out less, neglecting your hobbies and passions, and letting your most meaningful relationships fall by the wayside.

For the first time, you may be asking yourself: Do I have depression? Is this a passing phase or something I should seek help for? The truth is, you don’t have to have all the answers to begin your journey toward feeling better.

Depression and the Cycle of Isolation

When you’re in the thick of depression, it’s a natural reflex to pull away from people. You might feel bad about being depressed and go out of your way to avoid others because you don't want to be a "downer." When people ask what’s wrong, your feelings can be so overwhelming that you don’t know how to answer, so you just isolate more.

Yet the more you keep to yourself, the worse you likely feel. The people in your life may stop checking in, and you might find yourself losing interest in the activities that used to bring you joy. This is the painful cycle of depression: it causes you to avoid the very things that would make you feel better.

I'm here to help you break out of this downward spiral and live a more fulfilling life.

Depression and the Modern World

As a culture, we are more connected than ever—we can see everyone’s happy lives all over social media and keep in touch with people from across the world. At the same time, however, we are much less likely to have close friends, live near family, or enjoy the support systems that previous generations did. Despite how connected we are digitally, we have become increasingly disconnected in our real lives.

This disconnection has created a perfect environment for depression to take hold. After all, depression thrives in isolation. When we're left to our own devices, we’re more likely to spiral down, lose perspective, and believe the heavy lies that depression tells us. The more we surround ourselves with people who are loving and compassionate, the more likely we are to see that life is not hopeless and that depression is not the defining feature of our story.

The Stigma Around Depression is Not True

Many of us were taught that happiness is a choice and that we just need to "try harder" or "pull ourselves up by the bootstraps" if we feel depressed. In our highly individualistic society, we're often told that all we need to do is work hard, stay busy, and think positively. Naturally, this leads many people to feel ashamed and embarrassed to admit they need help.

However, you cannot just think your way out of depression. Depression takes away the energy, motivation, and perspective you need to feel better. It clouds your ability to believe that things could get better, convincing you that life is hopeless no matter what you do.

Therapy is a chance to challenge this mindset and realize that, despite what depression tells you, there is hope for the future.