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You notice that your best friend complains of being constantly tired and fatigued. She has lost interest in her usual activities, is unmotivated, and lacks excitement in her life. She seems to have lost the joy in her life and feels bored most of the time. She may be depressed.
Unlike a broken leg that obviously needs treatment, depression is invisible and vague. Sometimes you may feel an overall sense of sadness or just be down in the dumps. Maybe it's hard for you to make decisions and stay focused or you may have difficulty concentrating at work. Often, but not always, you may notice changes in your eating or sleeping patterns.
If you suffer from depression, you typically see yourself in a very negative way. In everyday life, this may mean that:
• you blame yourself for trivial faults or shortcomings
• you are pessimistic about yourself, about the world, about your future
• you feel helpless
• you feel alone in the world.
There is another, manic form of depression that is often elusive and difficult to recognize. In this case, you may have tremendous mood swings with symptoms of irritability, increased activity, restlessness, pressured talkativeness, racing thoughts, distractibility, and feelings of grandiosity.
We all experience mild depression from time to time. It's normal to feel sad after a death, divorce, or other life-changing event, and this feeling can dissipate naturally without any intervention.
However, if you are experiencing several of the symptoms listed above on a regular basis, you could have a depressive illness. This is more than just a normal reaction to grief or another traumatic event. If this happens to you, you are not alone: although depression is not a normal part of healthy living, millions of Americans have been diagnosed with a depressive illness. The good news is that you can get treatment and overcome it.
Results show that psychotherapy is the most effective treatment for depression. However, anti-depressant medication such as Paxil or Prozac can be a good adjunct to therapy, and your psychologist may recommend an evaluation by a physician to assess the need for medication.
As a psychologist, I can help you identify and correct many of the unrealistic ideas and thinking that cause most depressions. I can help you cope effectively with your most troublesome day-to-day problems. With my guidance and your efforts, you have a good chance of feeling better. You can learn to respond with far less depression and misery when you encounter difficulties in the future.
You don't have to suffer: there is help available. Please call me to get the support you need to deal with your depression and improve the quality of your life.
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