Gloom

Are you unable to enjoy life? Do you feel tired and down? Everyone is sometimes gloomy or sad in response to a disappointment, horrible event or loss. This is normal and will disappear after a while. Usually if you processed the bad experience.

You can also feel gloomy when you have a lot of worries or problems. For example problems at work, in your relationship or in your family, concerns about your health or financial problems.

Difference gloom and depression

When a gloomy mood lasts for weeks and you feel like doing nothing and you lose pleasure in your normal daily activities, the gloom gradually turns into a depression. The difference between gloom and depression is sometimes difficult, but it is mainly determined by the duration and intensity of the sad feelings.

Symptoms of gloom

The main characteristic of gloom is a sad and gloomy feeling. You have less fun in normal daily activities. You are not in the mood going to work, studying, exercising or meeting friends. And nothing can cheer you up.

When you feel gloomy, you can suffer from a combination of the following symptoms:

• feeling down;
• you have negative thoughts or you worry a lot;
• noticeably less pleasure or less interest in activities;
• concentration or memory problems;
• more irritable or touchy than usual;
• hanges in appetite (eating too much or too little);
• hanged sleep pattern (sleeping too little or too much);
• fatigue and lack of energy;
• vague physical problems such as headache, stomach ache or muscle pain.

Treatment of gloom

If you are experiencing mild or moderate gloom, you may be able to overcome your gloom with the help of family and friends. If you don’t succeed, it is wise to ask for psychological support.

Don’t be ashamed of your sad and gloomy feelings. Unfortunately, this happens regularly, and people wait too long to seek help. People think they have to live the perfect life: perform, be happy and have everything right. Often attempts are made to hide the symptoms for as long as possible, which will only make the symptoms worse.

It is therefore important to seek help in time. As with physical problems, treatment can become more difficult the longer you wait and the duration of the treatment will then increase.

Gloom is generally treated well. During the treatment we identify the cause of your sadness, which symptoms you have and how this affects your daily life. The goal of the treatment is that you find again the energy to do things and that you regain the pleasure in life.

Therapy can also help if your sadness is caused by a major event that is difficult for you to deal with, such as the death of a loved one, a divorce or loss of work.

Please read our Gloom treatment page, if you would like to know how we can help you overcome your gloom. We also give a number of tips that can help you end the negative spiral.

Contact Psychologen Amsterdam

Do you recognize your symptoms and do you need help or do you just have a question about the treatment of your gloom? Then call for an appointment or send a message to Psychologen Amsterdam.