Depression Therapy
Is Depression Creating A Dark Cloud Over Your Life That You Just Can’t Shake?
If you regularly feel sad, empty, hopeless, overwhelmed, or numb, it’s possible that your symptoms are a sign of depression. Depression is an incredibly common condition affecting individuals across age, gender, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds.
Oftentimes, those living with depression have lost pleasure and joy in life. Perhaps you feel chronically tired and unmotivated, making it hard for you to get out of bed in the mornings. Regularly sluggish, you may have lost confidence or esteem in yourself, causing you to withdraw from the activities, relationships, and purposes that used to give your life meaning.
It’s possible that the cycle of depression and numbness has been perpetuated by substance use, including alcohol or marijuana. And in some cases of severe depression, thoughts of self-harm can occur.
Depression Occurs In All Demographics, Particularly Among Women And Young People
While depression affects a wide range of individuals, it’s more common among certain demographics than others. For instance, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that depression occurs about twice as frequently among women as men (at a rate of 10.4 percent compared to 5.5 percent)¹. Such disproportion can be attributed to factors including higher rates of sexual abuse, violence, and oppression among women, and gender-specific conditions like pre-menstrual dysphoria and postpartum or perinatal symptoms.
Similarly, periods of depression tend to be more common among teens and young adults. Research suggests that close to one-third of college-aged individuals experience symptoms of depression, with rates of child, teen, and young adult depression on the rise in recent years. For these populations, common signs of depression include acts of defiance, outbursts, frequent crying, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, and difficulty concentrating on schoolwork.
Depression makes life uncomfortable at any age, but fortunately, it is highly treatable. With therapy and other daily changes, you can overcome your depression symptoms and develop a happier, healthier outlook on life.
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So, What Causes Depression?
As mentioned, it’s very common and normal to experience symptoms of depression. Many of us may be genetically predisposed to depression. And if we suffer from grief or trauma—including typical life transitions like changes in our relationships, a medical diagnosis, or significant loss—our symptoms can worsen. Depression is also a side effect of certain prescriptions or other substances and using recreational drugs can increase the risk of depressive episodes.
If left unmanaged, depression can lead to severe disability or dysfunction, which is why it’s important to seek treatment at the onset of certain signs and symptoms. Unfortunately, many of us lack the proper coping skills to meaningfully address depression, which often causes us to numb our pain in unhealthy ways. If we don’t have the social support to manage distress or come from a professional or cultural background where seeking help is discouraged, our symptoms will likely worsen and adversely impact our daily lives.
Generally, therapy is a great way to target symptoms quickly, and it’s an opportunity to feel supported and accepted on your mental health journey. At A New Day Family Counseling, we are pleased to offer depression treatment to individuals of all ages.
Therapy Gives You A Chance To Change Your Relationship With Thoughts, Feelings, And Behaviors So You Can Overcome Depression
Depression has a way of making everyday experiences and interactions feel uncomfortable and unsafe. As such, it’s important to find a therapist with whom you can connect and explore your thoughts, feelings, and depression symptoms freely. Using this connection and the valuable coping skills you will develop in counseling, you can experience a reduction in symptoms rather quickly.
The Process
Depression treatment at A New Day Family Counseling is available to children, teens, and adults. Depending on your age, we will tailor the process to meet your needs. For younger clients, in particular, this will involve explaining depression treatment in a way that makes sense and including parents in the intake process for clients under 18.
From there, therapy will be oriented around analyzing thoughts, establishing new behaviors, and working toward goals that will allow you to experience sustained relief from depression. Treatment may include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to challenge self-negative beliefs and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) if your depression stems from a traumatic experience.
For teens and children, in particular, parents and siblings can be incorporated into family therapy so that each member can better understand coping and mood regulation skills, alongside meaningful life changes to improve mood, sleep, and daily habits. Expressive modalities may be used—including art, music, and writing—to help teens and adults like find ways to work through underlying feelings of depression.
In addition, psychological testing is available to clients who struggle with chronic clinical symptoms. We are pleased to have a certified drug and alcohol counselor on staff who can help treat substance abuse related to depression. If it’s decided that depression medication would be beneficial to your treatment, we will make sure you have the resources and referrals you need.
As you develop a healthier relationship with your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, you can move away from black-and-white thinking to more adaptable, satisfying ways of thinking. By taking small steps toward daily goals, you can begin to embrace a brighter future that feels healed and hopeful.
At A New Day Family Counseling, you can feel supported in overcoming your depression.
Considering Therapy But Not Sure If It’s Right For You?
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This is a common concern, and we assure you that we are here to help, not to judge. Working together at a pace that feels comfortable for you, we can identify underlying factors and limiting beliefs, adjust your mindset, and take concrete steps toward recovery.
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Depression medication can be an important treatment intervention, but it is only one tool. Talk therapy is likely going to be a much more effective, lasting way to combat symptoms of depression, as medication only works for as long as you take it. When you’re able to find the right therapist, you can experience true support while learning coping skills that will benefit you for life.
We do want to note, however, that if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, it’s important to see a doctor right away. Their interventions, which may include medication, can help you get to a more manageable baseline. That way, counseling will be more effective, and you can feel more functional in your everyday life.
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You will. In general, talk therapy alone or counseling in conjunction with medication can help people experience relief from depression relatively quickly. Though depression may feel impossible to manage right now, you can overcome feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and despair with the support of a skilled counselor.
Clear The Clouds Away So You Can Live With Peace And Clarity
At A New Day Family Counseling, we treat depression using CBT, strategies for self-care, and other forms of therapy. To find out more, you can visit our contact page or email us.
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