Depression Treatment

Are You Ready To Lift The Fog Of Depression Once And For All?

Do you feel plagued by unhappiness, even when things are going well? Do you always seem to focus on what is wrong with your life, rather than what is good about it? Have you experienced a major or catastrophic life event such as divorce, sexual or domestic abuse or losing your job? Have these changes caused you to experience a shift in perception, and now you look at everything through the lens of negativity?

Depression can range from mild to moderate to severe in nature. In fact, some people with mild depression may not even realize they are depressed at first. But once they can name it, people often recognize that it is their perspective that needs changing. On the other end of the spectrum, people with severe depression often feel victimized and like they are powerless to control their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, physical symptoms and even their lives. You may have heard people use the expression that they are “in a funk.” This happens to everyone sometimes, but if feelings of emptiness, unhappiness and despair begin to take up permanent residency, you may be experiencing clinical depression.

Depression Looks Different For Everyone

Be honest here: Are you in the habit of isolating yourself? One common symptom of depression is strained relationships with other people. When your friends call, you may not want to talk or engage with them. Do you get offers to do things, but instead, choose to stay home alone? Perhaps your relationships are suffering because you lack patience and are withdrawn, irritable or snappy. You may not have the tolerance to work through issues in your relationships because you can barely manage yourself, making the mere thought of taking on someone’s else “stuff” too overwhelming. You may feel like you just don’t want to be bothered.

Alternatively, some people deal with depression by becoming overly involved and overextended. You may keep yourself busy so you don’t get sad. This approach can have harmful effects. You are likely not sleeping much because you have a hundred things going on. Then, because you aren’t well rested, you may become even more emotional or irritable. And while you may be goal-oriented and energetic, you never seem to finish anything.

If you are a high-functioning person with depression, you may criticize yourself because you think you should have more control over yourself and your emotions. You may not understand why you just can’t “get it together.” Perhaps doctors have told you that you’ll have to take medicine for the rest of your life and that you can only hope to manage – and not overcome – your symptoms. Thankfully, in most cases, this is simply not the case.

Depression Treatment Can Help You Return To a Happy, Productive Life

We all have difficult moments of adjustment. Everyone feels down or unmotivated sometimes (otherwise, we wouldn’t appreciate all the great moments in life, right?). But, there is a difference between experiencing moments of sadness and true chemical depression. Depression is caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters. Sometimes this imbalance is genetic; other times it is caused by a specific circumstance or life event. In any case, chemical depression is real — not just a “funk” that you need to shake yourself out of — and it can be very powerful.

The good news? Depression is by no means a hopeless condition that can’t be managed! In fact, in our depression treatment sessions, we will go way beyond symptom management. I believe in life management and looking at every facet of your current situation and how it is affecting you and your thinking. Depression is not just a psychological condition — there are many other factors.

In sessions, we’ll first rule out any physical conditions in the body. You may need to make some changes in your diet and exercise routine (exercise is one of the most underutilized antidepressants). Second, we will look at the “drama” in your life and determine what is toxic and what is working. A lot can be accomplished with some simple life management skills. Finally, we’ll explore what your true purpose in life really is. Once you know what this is, you can always go back to your purpose to reinvigorate, energize and inspire your thinking on every level.

In our depression treatment sessions, you can also learn how to utilize a holistic approach to life management. The physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of your life are all connected. When they are out of balance, it can often result in negative or distorted thinking. Through depression treatment, you can learn how to deal with the negative thinking patterns and triggers that lead to depression. How you manage your thoughts can have a profound effect on your mood.

With treatment, you can become more aware of your depression symptoms and learn how to manage triggers. You can be a more active participant in life, rather than avoiding others and isolating yourself. You can be more productive, motivated and grateful. You can have more enriching relationships and be more engaged with friends and family. Finally, you can open up opportunities to better yourself in your career and life path. You don’t have to feel like a black cloud is hanging over you anymore. With the help of a compassionate and experienced therapist and a willingness to create healthy change, you can feel more alive and get back to appreciating life again.

If you utilize the tools and actively participate inside and outside of our depression treatment sessions, it is possible to experience relief and move forward. It’s not my job to fix you. Rather, we’ll work together while you overcome this obstacle. Talking is often not enough. Depression treatment is not a passive process, but an active one.

You may be curious about how depression treatment could help, but still have questions or concerns…

My culture or religion doesn’t acknowledge depression. Maybe I should just pray harder or try to find more strength within myself.

Depression doesn’t care what color you are or what religion you practice. It’s a disorder that doesn’t discriminate. Anyone from any religion or culture can benefit from depression treatment.

Talking about my depression will only make it worse and bring up more pain.

In the beginning stages of depression treatment, yes, there probably will be pain. But just as a physical wound, when exposed, forms a scab and begins to heal, so will this. You have to expose and process your pain, otherwise it will become deeply embedded in your psyche. Depression never gets better by avoiding or suppressing it.

I’m afraid I’ll be in therapy forever.

Initially, you need a therapist’s guidance to navigate the root of your pain. However, I don’t believe that most people need to be in therapy for years. Once you have the proper life skills and tools, the goal is for you to be able to manage your depression on your own.

Ready to move forward? Depression treatment can be an amazing catalyst for change. It can be empowering and propel you to make significant, positive changes in your life. Please call me for a free 15 to 30-minute consultation. We can discuss your specific needs and how depression treatment can help you get back to living a healthy, productive life again.