DEPRESSION

Better Life Therapy offers compassionate outpatient treatment for individuals with depression

WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

Depression or Major Depressive Disorder is a common and serious medical illness that affects how you feel, the way you think, and how you act, usually with negative thoughts and emotions. Depression often causes feelings of sadness, a loss of interest in the activities and hobbies you loved before, and a general feeling of fatigue. If left untreated, it has the potential to cause emotional and physical problems which can decrease your ability to function in work and in life.

To be diagnosed with depression, an individual must have five depression symptoms every day, nearly all day, for at least 2 weeks. One of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities. Children and adolescents may be irritable rather than sad.

ISN’T DEPRESSION JUST BEING REALLY SAD?

A common misconception is that depression and sadness can be interchangeable. While sadness can be a symptom of depression, grief is different in that it comes in waves and self-esteem is typically maintained throughout the process. Depression is more focused on thoughts of being worthless or not deserving of life and typically persists without feeling any different. Depression must last longer than 2 weeks and usually persists for a long time afterwards. Sadness and depression can co-exist where a traumatic event such as a death in the family or natural disaster can trigger severe sadness that can lead to depression.

Knowing the difference between sadness and depression is important and helps people in getting the assistance they need from a therapeutical standpoint.

CAN DEPRESSION BE TREATED?

Absolutely. Depression is actually among one of the most common and most treatable mental disorders. Between 80% and 90% percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment and almost all patients gain some kind of relief from their symptoms.

 

Some of the more common methods to treat depression are through:

Medication

Antidepressants are often prescribed to help modify the brain’s chemistry in how it reacts to outside stimulation. They are generally not habit-forming and are low risk for side effects.

Psychotherapy

Mild cases of depression can be treated alone with “talk therapy” while it is often coupled with antidepressants for moderate to severe cases. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been found to be very effective and popular in treating depression.

Group Therapy

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) groups can be used similarly to psychotherapy with the added benefit of learning from others who are also coping with depression and how they have been treating it. DBT also provides effective coping skills and strategies that have been proven to cope with strong depressive symptoms.

Better Life Therapy employes several modalities and evidenced-based strategies in treating depression such as:

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Individual and Group Sessions

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION?

Depression can be felt differently for everyone and not all cases are the same.

Many of the common symptoms found in adult depression include:

  • Persistent sad, anxious, or having an “empty” mood
  • Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
  • Feelings of irritability, frustration‚ or restlessness
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies or activities that were once enjoyed.
  • Decreased energy, fatigue, or being “slowed down”
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
  • Difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping
  • Decreased libido or a loss of interest in sexual activity
  • Changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes
  • Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and that do not ease even
  • with treatment
  • Suicide attempts or thoughts of death or suicide

While this list is not exhaustive, it is recommended that you seek a therapist or medical professional, such as your primary care physician, that can provide an accurate diagnosis and recommendation for treatment.

In children, depression often includes different symptoms which make it difficult to diagnose without medical or therapeutical assistance.

  • Difficulty in school, lack of focus
  • Increased irritability, crankiness
  • Separation anxiety, refusing to leave a parent, worry that a parent might die
  • Low self-esteem
  • Excessive sleepiness, Hypersomnia
  • Increased appetite, Hyperphagia

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK I HAVE DEPRESSION?

If you think you may have depression, talk to your health care provider and a therapist. Primary care providers routinely diagnose and treat depression and will refer individuals to mental health professionals for therapeutic treatment.

Better Life Therapy offers comprehensive and effective treatments for depression. We have therapists who specialize in treating depression as well as coping with grief. We recognize that depression is not a choice for someone to live with and we use a variety of methods to provide individuals with options in coping with and finding relief from depression.