Depression

You haven’t felt good in a long time. Things you used to do just aren’t enjoyable anymore, and sometimes it’s a struggle to get out of bed. You’re tired all the time, your appetite has changed (sometimes enough to lead to changes in weight), and most of the thoughts in your head are critical or negative.

If you’re suffering from symptoms of major depression, you may be spending increasing amounts of time isolating from others, and when you are around loved ones you’re irritable and just want to get away. You might find yourself focused on escaping from feelings of immense sadness, hopelessness, or dread. You most likely view yourself, others, and the world in negative terms, and the idea of doing much of anything feels like a massive undertaking that you just don’t have the energy for. On the other hand, you may be experiencing a different kind of depression called “dysthymia” or persistent depression, characterized by long periods of feeling neutral or numb, and finding yourself passively moving through life or “going through the motions”. In either case, the struggle has been impacting your daily functioning.

Regardless of whatever form you might have, any mood disorder is harmful and should be treated with therapy. The focus of therapy is to help you to cope more effectively with the symptoms you’re struggling with, and ultimately to uncover the issues that lie below the surface and to restore your life and level of functioning to the way it used to be.

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Depression is a common mental disorder.

  • Globally, an estimated 5% of adults suffer from depression.

  • More women are affected by depression than men.

  • Depression can also co-occur with other mental health concerns include anxiety, substance abuse issues, and trauma disorders.

  • There is effective treatment for mild, moderate and severe depression.

  • Depression often co-occurs with other illnesses and medical conditions (chronic and otherwise).

  • Depression can cause thoughts about suicide, which is a common symptom. If left untreated, this can worsen over time.

Therapy for Depression is about finding new ways of responding to the symptoms of the disorder that continue to impact your day to day life. For example: when we feel miserable, overwhelmed, or even hopeless, it’s common for us to engage in strategies such as endlessly scrolling on social media, oversleeping, or making use of substances in an effort to cope. While these things can provide relief in the short-term, they rarely help us to break out of the cycle of depression in the long-run.

In treatment, we want to work together to generate new strategies for helping us to handle these difficult moments so that we can get ourselves “un-stuck” and start taking steps towards recovery and long-term change. We also want to identify and address any underlying issues keeping the disorder “alive”. These issues could range from experiences in childhood to developmental problems. Together we will work to identify the issue's core, help you understand symptoms, and make a plan to help you return to enjoying a rich, full, and meaningful life.

Depression is treatable