Does the most difficult journey you take each day consist of getting out of bed each morning (or afternoon)? Do you find that you don't enjoy a lot of the things you used to? Do you constantly feel tired, sad, or hopeless? If so, you may very well be suffering with depression. And nothing says you have to continue to struggle. Even if you have tried before, without success, to rid yourself of such feelings, that doesn't make it impossible. Check in with your doctor or a psychiatrist, as well a counselor or therapist. Help can be headed your way.
A heavy sadness that persists for longer than two weeks, along with feelings of anxiousness, worthlessness, and/or despair, is usually diagnosed as clinical depression. Actually, there are varying intensities of several different symptoms that can indicate depression, including:
–Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism
– Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness
–Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
–Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
–Decreased energy, fatigue, or feeling "slowed down"
–Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
–Difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping
–Changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes
–Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
–Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause that do not ease even with treatment
–Suicide attempts or thoughts of death or suicide*
In addition to psychotherapy and psychiatry, other treatments for depression can include medication, exercise, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and, in extreme cases, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). Because the main symptoms of PTSD are depression and anxiety, I use similar treatments for each of them. The strongest tool I typically use is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Together we can discover certain depressive thought patterns, examine them, and rethink them. That, in turn, helps change the thoughts into positive and healthy feelings and emotions. Because of this, you can move through the depression and move on to a healthier life–physically as well as mentally.
I also work with a client's spiritual belief system, finding what is helpful and what is not. Spirituality can be a great positive influence. Physical health plays an important role, too, so improving diet and exercise builds all-around health. Along with each of these, meditation has a way of transcending depression and putting a person into a much better headspace.
Feel free to give me a call and together we can determine the next steps.
*https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression
