Cognitive Behavioral Health Workbook for Depression

Understanding Depression: The term depression or 'being depressed' is thrown around a lot by people every day. While we can have periods of 'depressed mood', meaning a sense of sadness, frustration, and/or lethargy, clinical depression is a lot more than simply feeling a bit 'low'.

Depression is what we refer to as a mood disorder. Put simply, it is a condition that profoundly affects our mood, thinking, physical sensations, and behaviours. What we generally see with depression as well is that it has a significant effect on our day-to-day functioning.

When we consider depression and how it impacts a person, we often think of the mood changes alone. While depression certainly impacts our mood and motivation, it also has a great impact on how we think and behave, as well as on our physical sensations. Many people who suffer from depression experience an almost complete inability to gather the energy to face the day-to-day challenges in their lives. This could look like someone struggling to get out of bed or finding it difficult to look after personal hygiene. It can also look like someone who withdraws from social interactions or has a negative undertone in all of their thoughts or interactions. There is not one thing that causes depression, nor is there a single thing that will protect us from developing depression. Common underlying causes can include one or several of the following factors: genetics, hormone changes, experiencing distressing or traumatic events, loss, difficult life changes, or stress.

This workbook is designed to teach you tools to assist with the symptoms of depression. IT IS NOT TREATMENT!