{"id":33946,"date":"2017-02-07T08:00:48","date_gmt":"2017-02-07T16:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?p=33946"},"modified":"2017-02-01T15:37:39","modified_gmt":"2017-02-01T23:37:39","slug":"is-your-depression-an-external-or-internal-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/is-your-depression-external-or-internal-job-0207175","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Depression an External or Internal Job?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RearYou may know how common depression<\/a> is\u20146.7% of all Americans age 18 or older experience at least one major depressive episode each year, according to statistics compiled by the National Institute of Mental Health. It might even be expected in certain contexts, such as the loss of a job or a loved one. Other times, it creeps in mysteriously. As a therapist, I see many people who struggled for a long time before they finally sought help.<\/p>\n

One of the first things I do when meeting for the first time with a person experiencing depression is try to figure out if their blues are an internal or external job. This can take a little time to unravel, as there are many layers that can lead to someone feeling depressed. It\u2019s important when treating depression to try to change what we can control and learn coping skills that can help us with\u00a0the rest.<\/p>\n

So how do you know if your depression is a product of\u00a0your environment\u2014family, friends, job, housing or financial situation\u2014or if it instead stems from unproductive or self-defeating thoughts, self-esteem<\/a> or self-control issues, or possible biological reasons that may warrant a medical assessment?<\/p>\n

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Find a Therapist for Depression<\/a><\/h2>\n\t
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When It\u2019s an External Job<\/h2>\n

Perhaps this winter has been a difficult time in your life. The holidays are past, the weather is cold, and the days are short. The nation is apprehensive and divided about a new presidential term. Maybe you are worried<\/a> about tax season, waiting anxiously on news from college applications, or feeling bad after excess food or drink at the end of the year.<\/p>\n

Many people seek therapy after enduring a difficult situation. They have been caring for a sick family member, are going through a breakup<\/a>, or have failed a class for the second time in a row. They need help for a depression which is mostly a result of a life situation that has happened to them. They feel like a weight has been put on them and can identify what it is.<\/p>\n

Right now, many people are feeling the weight of conflict on a global scale. Some are worried about climate change, health care, humanitarian crises, or unemployment. \u201cState of the world\u201d depression, as I call it, is a common woe in 2017.<\/p>\n

These cases call for action:<\/p>\n