Depression: more than a period of sadness
Everyone has bad days. Depression is different — it lasts, drains energy and interest, and changes how a person sees themselves. It is also one of the psychological difficulties that responds best to treatment.
Sadness is a normal response to loss, disappointment or stress, and it usually eases as life moves on. Depression is a lasting change in mood that continues for weeks and affects how a person thinks, sleeps, eats and relates to others.
Many people with depression keep working and caring for others while feeling empty inside; this is one of the reasons depression can go unnoticed for a long time.
How does depression show itself?
Low mood and loss of interest or pleasure are the core features. They may come with tiredness, changes in sleep and appetite, difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking and feelings of guilt or worthlessness.
In some people depression shows less as obvious sadness and more as irritability, physical complaints or withdrawal.
The cycle of withdrawal
When energy is low, it is natural to do less. Less activity means fewer moments of pleasure and achievement; the mind fills that gap with self-critical thoughts. Mood drops further and doing anything becomes even harder.
Breaking this cycle — long before the person feels motivated — becomes the first practical focus of psychological work.
How psychotherapy helps
Sessions offer a structured space to understand what contributes to the depression and what keeps it going. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy combines a return to activity in small, planned steps with work on the harsh, all-or-nothing thinking that depression brings.
The negative beliefs that feed depression often rest on schemas rooted in early life experiences; Schema Therapy helps make sense of these deeper patterns. In moderate and severe depression, psychotherapy works best alongside psychiatric treatment.
When to seek support
If low mood has lasted longer than two weeks and is affecting daily life, a consultation is a sensible step. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, go to an emergency department or the nearest hospital without delay.
For the first session it helps to bring any information about previous assessments and treatment.
Talk to a psychologist
Briefly describe what you are going through and share any previous assessments or reports. We will get back to you with the next step.
Call now: +90 544 762 11 21This article is for general information only and does not replace a consultation with a specialist or an individual assessment.