Matthew’s Story

“Now I really feel like I’m back to living my life again.”

Recognizing depression symptoms and warning signs

I noticed I’d been feeling down almost every day for weeks. It just wasn’t like me. Everything felt overwhelming, and I didn’t see how things would get better. I was struggling at a job that I used to really love. My boss wasn’t happy with me and put me on notice. At home, I was more irritable with my wife, snapping over little things. I used to love going out to eat with friends and going on walks with my wife, but now I just wished that I could avoid everything and everyone.

My friends and family were worried about me, but they didn’t understand what I was going through. I realized I was really stuck and needed some help. I talked with my primary care doctor, who asked me some questions about my mood and suggested seeing a mental health therapist.

Getting therapy for depression

I worked with a therapist over the next couple of weeks using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). I was initially skeptical because I had never had mental health treatment, but it turned out that it was really helpful to take that first step and talk about what I was going through. We worked one-on-one, and they helped me learn skills for coping with stress and breaking out of my negative thinking patterns.

One day at a time, I was able to understand why I felt the way I was feeling and work to move in a more positive direction. I started doing things I used to love again. I became more engaged at work. I started taking walks again and even planned a night out with friends. I felt less alone and much more hopeful about the future. I could start being the husband and the friend I wanted to be.

Feeling hopeful for the future

After a month or two, I felt like I was doing better. My scores on a depression measure had improved. My therapist and I agreed on a plan for me to use my new skills to manage my mood and stay on track. I can always go back to see the therapist again if I feel like I get stuck, but right now, I really feel like I’m back to living my life again.