FAQ about Depression with answers by 7cups online therapists

Member: Hello I am a new member and I just have been feeling very depressed and emotional and need some type of support system minus the judgement.

StacyOvertonPhD Hello! Welcome to cups! This is a wonderful place to find additional support. The best way to find support (and hopefully nonjudgmental support) is to get involved. You can talk to a trained listener or join one of our regular forums. If you feel like you need additional support you can always sign up to talk to one of the therapists. We are all licensed professionals and are here to help any way we can. Stacy Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

I am struggling with depression currently. I have fibromyalgia which has contributed to it as I'm in pain a lot. I am also going through perimenopause and have very low progesterone and iron. So I have just started the hormone therapy, increased dosage on my meds for depression (3 weeks ago) and taking iron. I still have such a hard time getting up. I am off work currently, but need to get up to get my daughter to school. I don't even think I am that tired, it's simply dreading the moring. Any advice on countering this problem.

If you are coping with depression and anxiety for a long period of time but still feeling the effects of these challenges, how do you think online therapy can help me?

Cynthia Stocker, 7cups therapist reply First I think it would be important to ask if you have ever participated in therapy of any kind?

Therapy in general is a useful tool because it helps people pinpoint life events that contribute to their depression and help them find ways to change, accept or adapt to those situations and set realistic goals for the future. It also helps Identify distorted thought processes or unhelpful behaviors that contribute to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, as well as develop skills to cope with symptoms and problems and identify or prevent future episodes of depression and anxiety.

I don’t know your personal circumstances so I will speak in generalities about online therapy; Online therapy offers access to mental health information to people in rural or remote areas. Those who live in such areas simply might not have access to any other form of mental health treatment because there are limited or no mental health practices in their geographic area. E-therapy gives these individuals access to treatment that they might not have otherwise.

Individuals who are unable to leave their home for various reasons, such as physical or mental illness, may find online therapy a useful alternative to traditional psychotherapy settings.

Online therapy is usually fairly affordable and convenient. It is like a journal; you can write any time you want to. When you have a thought you go in and post it, and when your therapist is available, they come in and answer. This is different than in person where you have to wait a week or even more until your appointment.

You can go back and read over what you wrote. This is vital to change. You can see where you were a few weeks ago and the changes you have made so that your goals can be adjusted. I hope this helps :-) here is my link for therapy

Member: How do you cope with severe depression, which drives you to extremes, for instance, thinking a certain way every time you cross a bridge, or think about how certain utensils could be used in the wrong harmful manner. I'm just wondering what one would do should the thoughts arrive at unexpected times.

StacyOvertonPhD It sounds like you are really struggling with a lot of different symptoms resulting from depression. Have you ever talked to someone about this ongoing (regularly?). Symptoms of depression are incredibly difficult but they can often be successfully treated with the right person to talk to. Stacy Want more personalized guidance? Check out my profile.

I've been feeling really down lately (and actually for quite a while before that) and it's been affecting my sleeping, eating, motivation etc. but I've been struggling with feeling guilt that my problems aren't bad enough or worthy of getting help. Do you think online therapy/therapy would help me?

Cynthia Stocker, 7cups therapist reply Thank you for reaching out. I do think that therapy would be quite helpful. It actually is not that uncommon for people to worry that their issues are not bad enough to seek help. However if something is impacting daily living i.e. "been affecting my sleeping, eating, motivation" then it does rise to the level of needing intervention. here is my link for therapy

Member: Hello, I need a bit of help and thought some exterior advice could help. I want to start therapy for my anxiety and probably existant depression but I don't know where to start how to find a good one and I'm overall scared about therapy. Any advice?

KristenPLPCCRC Thank you for your question! I am sorry that you are struggling with anxiety and possible depression, but as I hope you have learned from 7 Cups, you are not alone. Therapy may be a great way to assist you with coping with the symptoms you are experiencing. One of the best pieces of advice that I can give is that it is important to feel comfortable with your therapist because you will be sharing very intimate details of your life with that person. If someone does not feel like they may be a good fit for you, please remember that you can always work with someone else and are not stuck in a therapeutic relationship that will not work for you! I know therapy can seem like a scary process, but I have found it to be so helpful to have someone to talk to who isn't a family member or a friend.

Please let me know if you have any other questions, and best of luck to you! Here is a link to my therapy page