Therapy for Depression:
Depression can be more than a constant state of sadness or feeling “blue.” Major depression can cause a variety of symptoms. Some symptoms affect your mood, while others may elicit physiological discomfort. You may find some symptoms to be persistent, while others may come and go. One of my primary goals as a therapist is to create a safe and non-judgmental environment to explore these feelings of distress in order to help you live a happier and healthier life.
Depression can include a combination of the following symptoms:
Feelings of sadness, emptiness, or unhappiness
Angry outbursts, irritability, or frustration
Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities
Decrease in sexual desire
Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
Tiredness or lack of energy, making small tasks seem impossible
Changes in appetite
Weight gain
Weight loss
Anxiety, agitation or restlessness — for example, excessive worrying, pacing, hand-wringing or inability to sit still
Slowed thinking, speaking, or body movements
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Fixating on past failures or blaming yourself for things that are not your responsibility
Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
Suicidal thoughts
Suicide attempts
Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
Types of depression are nuanced and varied. Some individuals may experience combinations of the following:
Anxious distress — unusual restlessness or worry about possible events or loss of control
Mixed features — simultaneous depression and mania, which includes elevated self-esteem, talking too much, and racing thoughts and ideas
Melancholic features — severe depression with a profound lack of response to something that used to bring pleasure, associated with early morning awakening, worsened mood in the morning, significant changes in appetite, and feelings of guilt, agitation or sluggishness
Atypical features — ability to be cheered by happy events, increased appetite, little need for sleep, sensitivity to rejection, and a heavy feeling in arms or legs
Psychotic features — depression accompanied by delusions or hallucinations, which may involve themes of personal inadequacy or negative themes
Catatonia — includes motor activity that involves either uncontrollable and purposeless movement or fixed and inflexible posture
Seasonal pattern — related to changes in seasons and diminished exposure to sunlight
My therapeutic approach:
My goal as your therapist is to mitigate the impact your symptoms of depression are having on your well-being. Together, we will identify specific areas of your life that are causing you distress, and help you develop coping skills to make facing them easier. It is my hope that throughout treatment, you recognize the importance of taking care of yourself. Therefore, I will aim to help you develop a self-care regimen tailored to fit your needs.
Atlanta Depression Therapy
Depression is more than a simple matter of feeling sad. However, the person experiencing the depression is often unaware that there is something seriously wrong. Therapists treating depression must evaluate each person according to the individual’s personality and abilities to deal with intense emotions.
Depression might be experienced as a normal condition, and that makes it difficult for the person suffering from it to fully engage in the therapeutic process. In other cases, the person experiencing the depression might be fully aware that a serious problem exists. Each case must be evaluated individually in order to determine the best course of treatment.
Overview of Depression
Depression is usually long-lasting, but some of the symptoms might also pass quickly. This can be a complicated experience because there are intense emotions involved. The discomfort can be psychological, emotional and even physical. The therapist has an obligation to create a safe and healing atmosphere that encourages self-discovery and agency.
Signs of Depression, How to Seek Therapy
There are many signs of depression. Many symptoms combine together, and this often creates the sense of being overwhelmed and unable to function. For example, the emotions of sadness might be combined with dramatic weight gain or loss. Fatigue and lack of motivation often cloud perceptions. Loss of interest in pleasurable activities is another sign of depression, and these can all be combined with outbursts of strong emotions like anger or frustration.
There are many other signs and symptoms that might be present in a person with depression. Therapy is the most effective when these signs are clearly observed by the client. Changes in these symptoms can be monitored over time, and this can help to demonstrate the value of the therapy to the client. Take an inventory of symptoms before the first therapy session whenever possible; however, the intake form will also allow the client to list their specific symptoms.
Therapist for Depression in Atlanta
Categories of Depression
There are a variety of categories for depression, and each one might require a slight change in the treatment plan. The purpose of therapy for depression is to enable the person to live a happier and healthier life by reducing the suffering and symptoms. To achieve this goal, the therapist might consider a variety of categories for the client’s specific type of depression.
These categories are diagnostic, and they can be helpful when charting a course of treatment:
Anxiety depression
Melancholy
Psychotic depression
Bipolar depression
Catatonic depression
Abnormal depression
Seasonal depression
The Therapeutic Approach for Depression Treatments
The most important aspect of treating the depression is ensuring that the treatment actively addresses the most invasive symptoms effectively. There is some trial-and-error involved, so open communication and a willingness to participate in the process are invaluable. Together, the client and therapist work as a team to create a regimen of self-care that addresses the underlying issues that caused the depression.
LAUREN ENDER
