Along with anxiety, depression is the most common behavioral health problem in the U.S. affecting nearly 10% of our population.
When we think of anxiety, the focus is the future; when we think of depression we are focused on the past. Depression is about loss.
Depression is a mood problem. When we are in a normal mood, we feel comfortable. We have motivation to face the day, we enjoy our leisure time, and our physical energy is usually up to the task at hand. Generally, people take their mood for granted. We wake up feeling OK. We go into our days without much thought to our internal world.
Without conscious awareness, our brain is continuously thinking and sending messages to our body about how we feel. This is called self-talk. Those messages, in concert with inherited biology and environmental factors, lead to the development of depression.
With depression, we lose many of the behaviors and feelings we would usually experience. Pleasure is diminished. Energy is drained away. Sadness is present. Motivation is low. Physical aches and pains occur for no apparent reason. We feel tired most of the time. Sleep is affected. Feelings of guilt and worthlessness are persistent and excessive. Occasionally, thoughts of suicide arise.
Depression can arrive very quickly and diminish within months or a year. Sometimes people have had depressive symptoms for many years. The symptoms may have been present for so long people begin to think what they are feeling is normal.
There are other symptoms of depression not listed here. It is important for each person to seek professional help if they suspect depression.
If you are concerned about depression, go to a mental health professional or to your primary care physician.
TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION, WHAT HAPPENS?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the primary treatment modality for depression. Many research studies have demonstrated this. Awareness of our self-talk, changing some of our behavior, utilizing strategies for engaging the body, and other adjunct techniques may go far in moving people out of depression. A thorough oral interview coupled with validated self-report questionnaires, will be used to focus in on specific issues. We will then work together to set a plan of action. IF YOU ARE HAVING ANY SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, GET HELP IMMEDIATELY.