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Depression Treatment Can Help You Find A Path Out Of Your Depression

Melanie, 35 years old, sits in a therapy office wondering if she’s struggling with depression. She didn’t see the symptoms of daily exhaustion and fatigue coming, and her lack of motivation and interest in life crept up so slowly they felt normal to her.

Depression

You Don't Have To Suffer Alone!

Melanie was doing well in her professional career and had a loving family, but she felt that something was always missing. Her heart felt empty and she found she couldn’t enjoy life’s little pleasures anymore. She stopped going to gym and gained weight due to unhealthy eating habits, which were unusual for health-conscious Melanie. Finally, her husband confronted Melanie and told her that he couldn’t take her behavior any more. He felt she was withdrawn, irritable over little things, snapping at their children, drinking alcohol heavily, and had started missing work. Upon her husband’s confrontation, Melanie began to feel worthless and a burden on her family.

Do you identify with some or all of Melanie’s experience with depression?
Maybe you have noticed changes in your mood, whether that is persistent sadness or intense anger?
Do you feel empty inside and/or that nothing makes you happy?
Maybe you find yourself pushing your loved ones away or getting angry over minor things that wouldn’t have bothered you before. It could be that you are having a hard time sleeping, eating, or are turning to drugs or alcohol to numb the pain you’re experiencing. Are you having trouble concentrating or being productive?
Maybe you find yourself procrastinating excessively?
Do you consistently feel tired, drained, or even unable to get out of bed and having to call in sick from work?

Depression can be very difficult to explain to others. Your family and friends may have hard time accepting that someone who is usually happy and loving could become sad and miserable, especially when they have to much to appreciate in their life. Or, maybe your life has been so full of challenges that it has broken your spirit gradually over time, and you no longer feel like trying anymore? Have you been contemplating suicide or feeling like your family would be better off without you?

You Are Not Alone And Treatment For Your Depression Is Available

If you experience symptoms of depression such as these ones, you are not alone. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), one in 15 adults is affected by depression in any given year, and one in six people will experience depression at some time in their life. Depression can strike at any time, but symptoms may especially appear during late teens to mid-20s. (https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression).

Most people experience depression at least once in their lifetime. Often depression is situational, caused by the death of a loved one, job loss, relocation, financial crisis, family crisis such as divorce or illness, or possibly due to medical issues, hormonal changes, or genetic factors. Depression symptoms include persistent sadness, hopelessness, guilt, lack of motivation or interest in activities you enjoyed in the past, withdrawal/isolation from others, fatigue, changes in appetite, and, in severe situations, suicidal thoughts. Evaluation for depression therapy can assist in determining if you need further treatment.

How Can Depression Counseling Help You And What Does Treatment Involve?

Let’s return to Melanie’s situation to explain how depression counseling works to assist in returning to one’s base level functioning. Melanie met with her counselor and received an evaluation, in which her therapist learned that she had suffered great loss in her life a few years earlier – she lost her parents a few months apart (both had chronic illnesses and she was their primary caregiver), and soon after she had to relocate with her family to another state as her husband accepted a promotion, which meant increased pressure due to her husband’s long work hours.

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Melanie never had time to grieve for her parents’ loss because she had to keep herself together for her family, and quickly adjust to a new place, new people, new surroundings and find a new job. Over time, all of this became overwhelming and she got buried under life’s demands. Her unresolved emotional issues eventually caught up with her, no matter how much she tried to suppress them! She slowly became depressed, began to neglect herself and her needs, and tried to self-medicate by using alcohol, which lead to more mood related issues. While working with her therapist, Melanie processed her grief issues, recognized her dysfunction & destructive coping mechanisms, received medication management from her psychiatrist, and continued to readjust in her new environment to find balance between work and her personal life. Depression treatment assisted Melanie in feeling empowered and helped her regain balance in her life.

Our experienced depression therapist can assist individuals in finding hope when everything else is failing or falling apart. Your therapist will help you find the source of your depression, resolve issues, provide support in a confidential, non-judgmental environment, as well as providing appropriate feedback for additional depression treatment (whether that means a referral to see a physician for medication management, starting a healthier lifestyle including mindfulness techniques and/or exercise, finding hobbies or new interests as positive, stress-reducing outlets). Your therapist will assist you in setting some realistic goals for yourself, and will guide, support and challenge you in a supportive manner to make necessary changes in your life. Everyone that comes into counseling has a different story, so depression treatment may vary depending on what seems to be more beneficial for you. Treatment plans for depression are always individualized based on your unique strengths, weaknesses, and needs.

I think depression counseling could help me, but I’m afraid of being forced to take medication if diagnosed with depression. I don’t want people to think there is something wrong with me.

Often, people feel relieved to finally find a place where somebody understands and can support them through this dark phase in their life. Finally, they begin to understand what’s going on in their body, instead of feeling like they are losing their mind or constantly feeling misunderstood by friends and family. Unless you want a physician or family member involved, your treatment and depression counseling will be strictly confidential between you and your therapist. If you are using health insurance, your provider will need a diagnosis code in order to pay for your treatment, but other clinical information will never be disclosed to insurance without your permission. You can choose to pay privately if you do not want any information disclosed to your insurance.

Therapists are trained and educated in providing psychotherapy to address mild to moderate depression symptoms. Therefore, you may not need to see a psychiatrist if your depression is mild. If your therapist determines that your depression symptoms are moderate to severe and thinks you may benefit from a consultation with a psychiatrist or a physician, they will discuss it during sessions with you. Because a major part of the depression therapy process is to be open and honest with each other about treatment options, you can discuss your fears about medication with your therapist, psychiatrist or physician, to let them know to be extra careful when prescribing mediations, and to monitor their effect carefully. For some people, depression treatment without medication is possible. For others, a combination of medication and psychotherapy works really well as it helps in stabilizing your mood, while you are trying to learn healthier coping skills that will help you return to your base functioning.

Here At Wake Counseling, Our Therapists Can Assist Adults Struggling With Depression Or Mood Related Problems.

New clients call or text at 919-647-4600 or email at Info@Wakecounseling.com to schedule an appointment.