Depression Therapy

Depression is more than feeling sad.

Do you feel hopeless and lost?

Do you feel a lack of motivation and find it hard to get out of bed?

Are you neglecting taking care of yourself?

Have others expressed their concern for you?

Do the simplest tasks feel overwhelming or exhausting?

It is normal to feel temporary feelings of sadness when going through a challenging time. Losing your job, losing a loved one, or getting divorced can make you feel sad and alone. Every person’s story and struggle is unique. If your feelings of sadness and depression are persistent, you may be experiencing depression.

Symptoms of depressioN

You may be wondering if your feelings of sadness are temporary or if you may be developing depression. Following are some signs that you may be experiencing depression and could benefit from therapy:

• Feeling sad, empty, or tearful often.
• Not enjoying things you used to enjoy.
• Changes in your sleeping pattern – either sleeping too much or having trouble sleeping.
• Changes in your appetite – either eating more than usual or not feeling hungry.
• Loss of energy. Feeling tired all the time and/or losing motivation for everyday things.
• Slowing down – for example, feeling restless and agitated or moving and speaking more slowly.
• Finding it harder to make decisions.
• Feeling hopeless about the future.
• Questioning yourself, your worth and your abilities a lot (for example, having negative thoughts about your self such as “I’m a failure” or “I’m a loser”).
• Feeling that things around you are grey or numb and that you can’t enjoy the good things in life.
• Feeling suicidal or having thoughts of wanting to die.

Suicide Prevention

If you think someone is suicidal:

• Call 911 or your local emergency number.
• Stay with the person until help arrives.
• Remove anything nearby that could cause harm.
• Stay calm, and listen.

Helpful resource: If you or someone you know is considering suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. 

Depression is Common and Treatable

If you are experiencing depression, you are not alone and there is help available.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that 16.2 million U.S. adults had at least one major depressive episode in 2016.

Depression is most common in ages 18 to 25.

The WHO estimates that more than 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression.

How Therapy Can Help Depression

Depression can be treated. Counseling can help you explore your feelings and experiences so that you can better understand yourself, have a clearer sense of direction and feel more hopeful about the future.

You can learn ways to manage any overwhelming feelings and thoughts, or look at how some of your lifestyle choices may be exacerbating them.

Medication prescribed by your doctor can also be a helpful adjunct to therapy in some instances.

Benefits of Therapy for Depression

• Find your sense of purpose again
• Find ways to break the cycle of depression
• Learn about what your body and mind are going through
• Learn coping mechanisms for dealing with difficult emotions and situations
• Tap into your motivation
• Develop awareness about how your thoughts and feelings are connected
• Have support and feel more in control of your life
• Identify unhelpful expectations you have of yourself or other people which might be causing unhealthy thinking patterns (for example, “I should always please others”).

If you are struggling with depression, it’s important to seek help. You don’t need to suffer, and I’m here to help.