Depression
“I am terrified by this dark thing
That sleeps in me;
All day I feel its soft, feathery turnings, its malignity.”
― Sylvia Plath, Ariel
Depression
You’re exhausted by the barrage of negative thoughts moving through your head, you feel like you have no control and don’t know what to do. Life feels overwhelming, and you don't have the energy keep up with everything. You’re irritable and sad, and don’t know who to turn to for help.
It might feel like a light has gone out and all the color has been drained out of your life. Participating in simple activities like taking a walk or talking to a friend on the phone may seem like too much effort. Nothing feels good in your mind or body, and the worse you feel, the more you withdraw from others. Perhaps many people see your facade and can’t even tell how depressed you feel on the inside. Or maybe they notice how down you are, but you steer clear of them because you don’t want to admit you have a problem.
Maybe the way you feel is also affecting you physically. You may suffer from unhealthy weight changes, oversleeping or insomnia, and even brain fog. Perhaps you have stopped taking care of yourself because you don’t see the point of anything. Deep down, you feel worthless and believe nothing matters.
You no longer feel like an engaged spouse, parent, or employee because you lack any energy and motivation to be sociable. Instead, you feel tired, overwhelmed, and unable to fulfill your obligations at home and work.
Depression Is Incredibly Common And Affects Millions Of People Every Year
While everyone experiences sadness from time to time, the duration and intensity of depression is longer and stronger than normal sadness. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Major Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States. In 2017, an estimated 7.1 percent of the U.S. population—or 17.3 million adults—had at least one major depressive episode.
Depression affects people of all ages, races and genders, and the symptoms of depression can build slowly over time or emerge all at once, coinciding with a period of stress, a significant loss, a period of stress or even a much longed-for life event, such as marriage, retirement or the birth of a child. Often, people struggle to manage their symptoms for months or even years before reaching a breaking point when hopelessness, loneliness, fear, or fatigue become overwhelming.
What are the Causes of Depression?
It is believed that depression is often caused by several factors. One explanation is that there is a genetic component to one's depression. People who have a history of depression in one’s family have a higher chance of developing depression. Environmental factors can also be a contributing factor, such as illness, injury, financial hardships, job loss, the death of a loved one, or the postpartum period.
Sometimes normal sadness can slip into longer-term depression when we are isolated and alone and don’t feel heard by or connected to others. Since the start of the pandemic, depression has become more common as people are feeling more socially isolated with increased worries and stressors.
Many Depressed People Suffer In Silence Without Getting The Help They Need
Overcoming depression can be challenging due to the shame and stigmas related to mental health in our culture. In some communities, mental illness is still viewed as a weakness. Moreover, many of us focus on the symptoms of depression instead of addressing its root causes.
In addition, many people are under the mistaken impression that you can just choose to be happy and get better on your own. This is especially true of social media, where so much of today’s society has fallen into a “happiness trap.” The happiness trap is the myth that if you’re living well, you will feel happy 100 percent of the time.
Ironically, this pressure to be a happy, joyful person at all times can create and increase depression symptoms or make up feel we must be doing something wrong. In reality, everyone goes through periods of sadness, and a certain level of sadness is normal and healthy. However, prolonged periods of sadness coupled with other symptoms may indicate depression. The good news is that depression is highly treatable and there is help and hope for relief.
How We Can Help
When you feel perpetually sad and exhausted, reaching out for help may seem like too much to take on. But when you learn skills and strategies in therapy to heal depression fully, you can spend less energy “getting by” and invest more of yourself in personal and professional activities. In our practice, we provide counseling for depression that creates a safe space where you are free to be yourself and express your honest fears and doubts without judgment.
In depression therapy, we’ll help you identify what aspects of your life are contributing to your depression and explore with you the things that impact your life positively. Together we will work to uncover unhelpful thinking patterns that can contribute to feelings of hopelessness in order to make room for more realistic thoughts that highlight your strengths and promote self-acceptance. We will also help you learn how to not be so negative and hard on yourself, and show you how to prevent future episodes of depression. This allows you to ultimately break the unhealthy patterns that are keeping you stuck in this negative cycle, leading to a more fulfilling and creative way of living.
Depression FAQs
I feel hopeless and don’t believe that anything will change.
Although things may seem really dark right now, with the right help and support, it is possible to feel better. Whether you’ve been depressed for months or years, and even if you’ve worked with someone else and haven’t found relief, we urge you to not give up hope. We can help you learn proven, effective techniques that you’ve never tried before, and we will provide you with tools and new ways of relating to your symptoms, which can improve your sense of well-being.
I’m afraid that talking about how depressed I feel in therapy will make me feel even worse.
In the safe space of depression therapy sessions, we will move at a pace you feel is right. Our goal is for you to feel as comfortable as possible, and you’ll never be pressured to talk about anything you do not want to or are not ready to. It’s also important to recognize that a big part of therapy is focusing on the good, what is working well in your life, and making plans for how you want your life to change for the better. Therapy does not have to be all gloom and doom. While working with a depression therapist may initially seem daunting, most people find depression therapy to be an unburdening experience and feel great relief during and following sessions.
Am I going to have to take medications for my depression?
Another common concern is people believe that they're going to need to take medications for their depression. Medications have proven to be helpful in reducing the severity and longevity of symptoms of depression. The decision to take medications is a personal decision and it is not a requirement for therapy. In our practice, if people decide that they may want to meet with a prescriber we can discuss referral options, but it's not a requirement of therapy
The idea of sharing my personal life with a stranger sounds intimidating.
Once you give it a chance, therapy can be a liberating experience. The realization that you have permission to talk about whatever has been bothering you, you will begin to feel unburdened and validated. The problems that are weighing you down will become lighter when shared with a trained professional.
What if I don’t think therapy can help me?
Understandably, right now you may feel hopeless. You may lack the perspective that it’s possible to feel better in your body and mind. However, there are many forms of treatment available that can help you change the way you see the world and react to stressful situations. If you’re willing to consider therapy, you open yourself up to the possibility of improving how you feel.
How Do We Get Started?
That’s easy! Just contact us to schedule a free 30 minute phone consultation, or schedule your intake session in the client portal. We’ll discuss what you are looking for help with, and see if there is a good fit. We’ll also answer any questions you may have.
