Depression

Depression is one of the top reasons people seek mental health treatment…

It’s more than just sadness.

It’s a serious mental health issue where your mood is literally depressed.

When you’re depressed, you feel down more days than not; it’s not a sad emotion that comes and goes.

With no energy or motivation, you lose interest in things most people enjoy – things YOU used to enjoy. Heck, it’s hard to even get out of bed in the morning.

So, what do you do? You withdraw from life… from other people… from the very things that tend to boost your mood and make you feel better.

It’s a vicious cycle that takes a toll on your relationships and your home, work, and social life.

It’s in your head, too.

Depression weighs heavily on your body, but it works on your mind, too.

It distorts your thinking, leaving you vulnerable to all sorts of negative thoughts about yourself, others, and the world.

These thoughts can happen anytime, but they often attack you when you go to bed. The constant rumination keeps you up… or wakes you up in the middle of the night.

Great… no sleep… you’re even MORE drained now.

And the vicious cycle continues…

Let’s attack your depression on all fronts.

Tracking your mood…

We’ll start by using a written log (or app on your phone) to monitor your depression so you can get better at identifying what you’re feeling and when you’re feeling it.

This is key to recognizing patterns of your depression and what triggers it. You have to know what you’re dealing with to treat it effectively!

Plus, when you’re more mindful of your emotions, you can take better care of yourself during the more difficult times… and communicate to the important people in your life that you need extra support.

Addressing your thinking…

Keeping track of your mood can also alert you to any suicidal thoughts, urges, or behaviors you might be experiencing,

The negative thoughts that characterize depression can include self-harm. I’ll continually assess this, ensuring we promptly address it with a concrete plan.

I want you to be in control and know what to do in and out of session.

Building healthier habits…

Depression has a way of disrupting your sleep and eating patterns, both of which are essential to feeling good every day. You might be sleeping or eating too little because you’re distracted or just don’t feel like it… or too much because they’re soothing.

We’ll talk about ways to eat and drink to stave off symptoms (even things like caffeine or nicotine can make depression worse). We’ll also discuss the importance of getting up and being active.

Even if it means taking small steps like walking outside to get your mail, that’s important for reducing the symptoms of depression.

Considering medication…

Talk therapy, coupled with antidepressant medications prescribed by a psychiatric professional, is considered the gold standard of treatment for depression.

Medication isn’t the solution if your depression is situation-dependent (e.g., you’re having family problems or you’re grieving a loss). We can talk about whether it’s right for you.

If it is, I’ll refer you to your primary care physician or a psychiatric practitioner for an evaluation.

Please, reach out.

If you’re depressed, it’s often hard to muster the energy to do anything.

This might seem like something you can put off or ignore, but it’s not.

You deserve to feel better and live a full life!

Call me today, and we’ll talk more during your free consultation: (315) 520-8234.