Depression can be so draining and overwhelming. In addition to feeling sad, fatigued and unmotivated, among other things, it can also leave us feeling very hopeless. The good news is that that it’s treatable, and there are many things that you can do on your own to learn to manage it. In his book Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion, Dr. Elisha Goldstein notes that one very important strategy for managing depression is identifying and acknowledging your depression cues.
One of the cornerstones of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the concept that thoughts, emotions, sensations and behavior are all factors that are connected to one another to impact mood. They can all also signal cues that a period of depression is beginning. Goldstein notes that “depression often starts with a cue, or trigger: an initial sense of unease that can be brought on by a subconscious thought, memory, physical feeling, emotion or some external life event”.
The cue is typically followed by:
Thoughts- Rehashing negative events, future planning, anticipating possible negative scenarios. This thought process creates more stress.
Emotions- The more your negative thoughts loop around, the more anxious and depressed you become.
Sensations- You may begin to experience fatigue, changes in sleep, appetite or concentration.
Behavior- The combination of these factors may prevent you from feeling motivated or able to make healthy choices, such as exercising or spending time doing something that makes you feel good.
By recognizing your typical depression cues, you will be more prepared to notice and interrupt a period of oncoming depression. Think back to times in the past that you have experienced depression and see if you can identify some of the first warning signs. These are the cues to be on the lookout for.
For more information on how noticing your depression cues can benefit you, stay tuned for my next blog, where we will dive in to the research behind the benefits of acknowledging your feelings directly.
If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of depression, make an appointment with me today.