Therapist's Guide to Clinical Intervention - Sigmund Freud

FEELING OVERWHELMED AND DESPERATE
When a person is depressed they often lack the energy to resolve problems as they arise. As a
result, all of the new problems pile up on top of the difficulties which originally contributed
to the state of depression. When this happens a person becomes overwhelmed. Being overwhelmed
feels like there is just too much to deal with. They feel desperate because it seems
like no matter what they do they will be unable to accomplish all that they have to. It may feel
like there are no choices which can really help them. When this happens it may appear that
suicide is the only way to escape from the awful, trapped feeling that they are experiencing.
Unfortunately, they are considering a permanent solution to temporary problems. There
is always another way no matter how difficult the problems may be. If a person is at the
point where they feel desperate and unable to cope the thing to do is to ask for help. If they
are feeling that bad then they know that they are not emotionally well and it may require
that others who care (family members, friends, therapists, ministers, physicians) are needed
to break this downward spiral. Reach out to the people in your support system. If you don't
have a support system tell your physician or call a hospital emergency room for help. Get
whatever help is necessary to problem solve the solutions that will create the support and
structure to stabilize and manage the potentially destructive behavior. Sometimes someone
else can offer a solution that a person in a state of being overwhelmed would not even be
able to see because they are focusing only on how to escape these awful feelings.
If you have ever felt overwhelmed and desperate describe how you felt.
How did you resolve the situation?
What did you learn that could help you now?
Feeling Overwhelmed and Desperate 325