Why Did I Feel Fine Yesterday? The Causes of Depression

Why Did I Feel Fine Yesterday?

If you felt fine yesterday, but today feel depressed and hopeless, distorted thinking may be to blame. As an example, let’s say you woke up late and had to rush to work. This put you in a bad mood, and you started thinking distorted negative thoughts. “I’m always late. I’m a loser. My boss is going to be angry at me all day. He probably hates me anyway. I’m going to get fired.” As the day goes on, every event will be processed through this negative filter, causing you to feel worse.

What Are The Causes Of Depression?

With 322 million people suffering from depression worldwide, it’s not surprising to learn that in America, depression is among the most common mental disorders. The causes of depression are often simplified as a chemical imbalance in the brain, but the reality is that the disease is far more complicated. Scientific research has yet to completely understand the biology of depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.

Image f a person with their head down holding a sign that says "help". Representing how it can feel while trying to find the causes of depression symptoms. Depression counseling with a therapist in Grand Rapids & Jenison, MI can help.

Depression and your genetic disposition may increase the risk of you falling into depression after having experienced a negative external event. For example, getting fired from a job might send one person into a deep depression, while another simply bounces back after experiencing the initial sadness and disappointment.

Many depression therapists in the cognitive behavioral field believe that the causes of depression can be attributed to distorted negative thinking. The emotions you experience during an episode of depression are created by negative thoughts and perceptions. Your feelings will result from the meaning you attach to those thoughts. If you eliminate distorted, negative thoughts, you will find it easier to cope with the negative event that triggered your depression.

What kind of depression therapy helps?

Image of a sign that says hope pointing across a bridge over water. Representing the hope that can come from working with a depression therapist in Grand Rapids & Jenison, MI. With depression treatment you can finally address the causes of depression in your life.

There are many different forms of mental health therapy that can be helpful for depression treatment. It’s important for you to find a depression therapist who uses a therapy technique you think makes sense. Below are several, but not all, depression counseling techniques that can help alleviate depression symptoms.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that helps you challenge negative patterns of thought. By challenging these thoughts, you can improve your mood. For example, “I’m always late.” This is an over-generalization. More than likely, you have not been late that often. If this is something you want to change, you can alter your schedule and habits to become more punctual.

Behavioral Therapy

While CBT focuses more on changing negative patterns of thought, Behavioral Therapy focuses more on changing behaviors that impact emotions. The primary focus of behavioral depression treatment is behavioral activation. This involves helping patients engage in activities that will enhance their feelings of well-being.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is mostly based on CBT. The primary difference with DBT is that it requires individuals with depression to acknowledge and accept their negative thoughts and behaviors. Depression therapists who use DBT may have you practice validation, learn how to break chains of disruptive emotions and behaviors, and practice mindfulness. It helps individuals can come to terms with their negative emotions, learn to cope with stress, and regulate their responses to it. It even may improve their relationships with others.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic Therapy assumes depression comes from unresolved, unconscious conflicts, often originating in childhood. The focus of this therapy helps you become more aware of the full range of your emotions, including emotions that may contradict one another. It helps you manage these feelings and place them within a helpful and useful perspective. This depression therapy type is longer term in nature as it’s less focused. It’s useful for connecting your past to the present.

Interpersonal Therapy

Conflict with others and not having a good social support system can lead to depression. Interpersonal therapy often examines the relationships you have with important people in your life. This may look at the conflict you have with others such as your spouse, friends, family, and co-workers.

Image of a man standing in the sun with his arms raised. Representing the joy that can come from dealing with the causes of depression in depression counseling in Grand Rapids, MI. It is important to find the right depression treatment for you.

Start Feeling Better With Depression Therapy in Grand Rapids

Depression is a complicated illness, and as such is best managed by comprehensive depression treatment. If you’re suffering, a licensed depression therapist can help you understand your mood disorder and develop strategies to cope with and improve your symptoms. Together, we can develop a plan for you to create the life you want to live.

Give Great Lakes Wellness Counseling a call today at (616)202-1910.
Let’s schedule a time to talk about the best options for depression therapy for you.
Start addressing the causes of depression in your life.

Other Therapy Services Offered in the Grand Rapids Area

Some of the specialties that we offer include Teen therapy, Couples Counseling, and Marriage Counseling. Additionally we offer Individual Counseling including Anxiety Treatment and Christian Counseling. As well as Therapy for Men, and Therapy For Women. These services can be accessed both in person in Jenison and online throughout Michigan.