Psychotherapy
Counseling
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Daily living doesn’t have to
hurt.
When the joy seems to go out of living,
when pleasure is nowhere to be found, it is time to seek
help. |
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You Are Not Alone
One of the most
frightening emotional experiences a person will ever
experience during their lifetime is to experience a form of
depression. Over 1 in 5 Americans can expect to have some form
of depression in their lifetime. Over 1 in 20 Americans have a
depressive disorder every year. Depression is one of the most
common and most serious mental health problems facing people
today. |
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You Are Not to
Blame
Many people still carry the misperception that
depression is a character flaw, a problem that happens because
you are weak. They say, "Pull yourself up by your own
bootstraps!" and "You're just feeling blue... You'll get over
it." |
| There are as many potential causes of depression as
there are people who suffer it. Depression is most often
experienced as a depressed mood, which may sometimes be
related to some recent, notable event which occurred in one's
life.
While depression may
be related to feelings of grief after the loss of a loved one,
those feelings are natural. Depression caused by medications
or substance or alcohol abuse is not typically recognized as a
depressive episode. Depression experienced after certain
medical procedures (such as post partum depression) is
recognized, though. Family history and genetics also play a
part in the greater likelihood of someone becoming depressed
in their lifetime. Increased stress and inadequate coping
mechanisms to deal with that stress may also contribute to
depression. |
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Clinical
depression is one of the most common mental illnesses,
affecting more than 19 million Americans each year. This
includes major depressive disorder, manic depression and
dysthymia, a milder, longer-lasting form of
depression. |
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Depression causes people to lose pleasure from daily
life, can complicate other medical conditions, and can even be
serious enough to lead to suicide. |
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Depression can occur to anyone, at any age, and to
people of any race or ethnic group. Depression is never a
“normal” part of life, no matter what your age, gender or
health situation. |
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Unfortunately, though treatment for depression is
almost always successful, fewer than half of those suffering
from this illness seek treatment. Too many people resist
treatment because they believe depression isn’t serious, that
they can treat it themselves or that it is a personal weakness
rather than a serious medical
illness. |
| Clinical depression is very treatable, with more than
80% of those who seek treatment showing improvement. The most
commonly used treatments are antidepressant medication,
psychotherapy or a combination of the two. The choice of
treatment depends on the pattern, severity, persistence of
depressive symptoms and the history of the illness. As with
many illnesses, early treatment is more effective and helps
prevent the likelihood of serious recurrences. Depression must
be treated by a physician or qualified mental health
professional. |
| Many things can contribute to clinical
depression. For some people, a number of factors seem to be
involved, while for others a single factor can cause the
illness. Oftentimes, people become depressed for no apparent
reason. |
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Biological
People
with depression typically have too little or too much of
certain brain chemicals, called “neurotransmitters.” Changes
in these brain chemicals may cause or contribute to clinical
depression. |
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Cognitive
People
with negative thinking patterns and low self-esteem are more
likely to develop clinical depression. |
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Gender
Women
experience clinical depression at a rate that is nearly twice
that of men. While the reasons for this are still
unclear, they may include the hormonal changes women go
through during menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and
menopause. Other reasons may include the stress caused by the
multiple responsibilities that women have. |
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Co-occurrence
Clinical
depression is more likely to occur along with certain
illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease,
diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and hormonal
disorders. |
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Medications
Side
effects of some medications can bring about
depression. |
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Genetic
A
family history of clinical depression increases the risk for
developing the illness. |
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Situational
Difficult
life events, including divorce, financial problems or the
death of a loved one can contribute to clinical
depression. |
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Persistent sad, anxious or “empty”
mood |
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Sleeping too much or too little, middle of the night
or early morning waking |
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Reduced appetite and weight loss, or increased
appetite and weight gain |
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Loss
of pleasure and interest in activities once enjoyed, including
sex |
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Restlessness, irritability |
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Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to
treatment (such as chronic pain or digestive
disorders) |
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Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making
decisions |
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Fatigue or loss of energy |
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Feeling guilty, hopeless or
worthless |
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Thoughts of suicide or
death |
If you
have five or more of these symptoms for two weeks or more, you could
have clinical depression.
We will be happy to discuss your depression symptoms with
you.
For more
about our Psychotherapy services click here.
For more about our Counseling services
click here. |
|
630.377.8655
Depression is not a character
flaw, nor is it simply feeling blue for a few days. Most
importantly, depression is not your
fault. It is a serious mood disorder which affects a
person's ability to function in every day activities. It
affects one's work, one's family, and one's social
life.
