How to Process Emotions when You Have Depression

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Update your current plan.

   Depression can cloud your judgment and skew your perspective, making it hard to fully work through how you feel about a situation.
   
   One of the most important things you can do to process your emotions when you have depression is to stick to a treatment plan that effectively manages your depression.When your depression is under control, you may find it much easier to work through your emotions.
   
   If you don’t currently have a treatment plan established, you might ask your primary care provider, “Could we create a treatment plan for my depression? I’d like some help processing my emotions.” If you do have a treatment plan, but feel it isn’t working, you could tell your provider, “I've been having some trouble processing my emotions recently.
   
   Could we update my treatment plan?”
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   Step 2: Think about medication management.

   There are several medications that can be used as part of a larger treatment plan, or on their own, to help you manage your depression.You should work with your physician or psychiatrist to determine the most effective medication for you.
   
   You should also let your provider know if it seems your medication isn’t working as well as it should.
   
   You might tell your primary care provider, “I’d like to explore some of my medication options.
   
   I want to be able to process my emotions without my depression getting in the way.” Or, you might say, “My current medication doesn’t seem to be working as well for me anymore.
   
   I’m having some difficulties processing my emotions.
   
   Can we talk about changing it?” , Just like with medication, there are a number of types of therapy that have been found to be effective in treating depression.
   
   For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy and interpersonal therapy can all be used to manage depression.
   
   Attending therapy regularly can help you work through many of the issues you face with depression.It can also offer you tools to process your emotions.
   
   If you don’t currently have therapy as part of your plan, you might tell your primary care provider, “Do you think I might benefit from therapy? Can you tell me about some of the therapy options?” If you previously were in therapy, but stopped, you may want to consider starting your sessions again.
   
   You can tell your therapist, “I’ve been having some problems processing my emotions the past few days.
   
   I think I should resume our sessions.”
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   Step 3: Consider therapy.

Detailed Guide

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