Are you feeling hopeless about the future? Right now, life has presented us all with extra challenges and heartaches we never expected to experience, and you might be feeling down on yourself. Depression can place a dark cloud over every aspect of your life.
Many people experience depression at certain times in their lives. Divorce, death of a loved one, loss of a job, conflict, and major life changes are all situations that can cause us to feel sad and worried. However, some of us can develop depression without an identifiable reason or trigger. Life may seem to have no meaning. We can feel a general sense of anxiety and not know why.
Another symptom of depression can be a general feeling of numbness or uncaring. Disappointments may have gotten you down and caused you to remove yourself emotionally from life. If you feel as though you don’t care but would like to feel engaged in life again, you may be struggling with depression.
What you should know about depression
Depression can affect anyone – adults, children, and adolescents; men and women. Depression occurs across cultures and socioeconomic status. Globally, more than 264 million people suffer from depression. Depression has very real direct consequences, such as loss of productivity at work, difficulty functioning in school or functioning as a parent, and even suicide.
The consequences of depression can be devastating, but there are effective treatments for mild, moderate, and severe depression.
Men and women may experience or respond to depression differently
Although more women are affected by depression than men, depression affects all genders. Both men and women who experience depression tend to report feeling sad, hopeless, or empty; feeling extremely tired; having difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much; not deriving pleasure from activities which you had once enjoyed.
While men and women who experience depression have overlapping symptoms, depression in men is often undiagnosed when they respond to depression through physical ailments (such as headaches, digestive problems, and chronic pain), escapist behaviors (such as spending a lot of time at work or on sports), risky behaviors (such as reckless driving), abusing alcohol or other substance abuse.
Understanding the relationship between anxiety and depression
While depression is different than anxiety, symptoms of anxiety and depression commonly overlap. Depression can make it more difficult for you to manage your anxiety, and anxiety can make it more difficult to recover from depression. People can experience anxiety before or after the onset of depression.
Help for depression
Suffering from depression, including depression compounded by anxiety, is among the most treatable of disorders. There is a range of treatment approaches that are evidence-based and effective in providing help for depression.
Behavioral changes can alleviate depression
For many people, adopting behavioral changes can be helpful in treating depression. Sticking to a regular schedule and healthy lifestyle choices, including healthy eating and regular physical activity, can improve your mental health. Engaging in activities you typically enjoy, such as ball games, fishing, or a hobby can be part of a strategy for preventing or alleviating depression.
Examining the thoughts and beliefs that contribute to depression
Many people who are depressed hold irrational thoughts and beliefs. When these thoughts are examined and challenged, the person can begin to feel better. In therapy, you can gain an understanding of the thought patterns that are holding you back and get help in modifying those patterns.
Get emotional support
You can build out your network of family and friends that provide you with support. You can learn how to explain your needs and get emotional support from a life partner, family, and friends. In therapy, you can learn strategies for making social connections that will broaden your support network and help you be more involved in social activities.
Your therapist is part of your support network, helping you move towards a more positive, healthy future.
Learn coping skills
In therapy, you can learn ways to manage stress and other triggers that can fuel your depression, such as meditation and mindfulness, and develop problem-solving skills. Neurofeedback can be very helpful.
Therapy and neurofeedback in Los Angeles
Getting your symptoms of depression under control will help improve your life on multiple levels. Reach out today to learn how I can help you. Many effective treatments are available for depression. Don’t try to tough out depression on your own — the consequences could be devastating.
Contact Jennifer Willemsen, MA, LMFT. You can get in touch by phone or by filling out the contact form. Online therapy and neurofeedback are available.
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