Individual Therapy
Depression
Individual Therapy
Depression
Depression is a common and treatable condition that affects many individuals.
Depression is a condition that tends to affect more women (10.4%) than men (5.5)1. However, despite of gender, depression can be an impeding condition that interferes with people’s overall functioning and can take a toll on the person’s overall wellbeing and life. Individuals between the ages 18 to 29 tend to report the highest percentages of depression (21%), followed by individuals aged 45 and over (18.4%), and lastly those between 30 to 44 years old (16.8%)3. Some symptoms of depression can include lack of motivation, sleep disturbances, feelings of sadness, crying frequently, eating struggles, lack of interest or pleasure in activities that used to be enjoyable, etc. Despite struggling with these symptoms, it is common for people to wonder if what they are experiencing is severe enough to seek professional help. If this is your case, here is an easy way to decide if this is the right time for you to seek help; answer the following question:
Are my depressive symptoms interfering with my life to the point that it is impacting my relationships with others and my overall functioning?
If the answer to this question is yes, maybe, or partially, then it may be time for you to reach out for help. Individuals who struggle with depressive symptoms often experience interpersonal conflicts with their loved ones and those around them; depression often has a negative impact on work, school, and productivity in general.
Different factors can make depressive symptoms worsen and make it difficult to handle. For instance, having family problems, facing financial hardship, witnessing or experiencing social injustice, experiencing stress, losing a loved one, etc. Additionally, sometime after the pandemic hit, we came to learn that COVID-19 also had a negative impact on people’s mental health. In the United States, the percentage of people reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety increased during COVID-19. If you began experiencing depressive symptoms after the start of COVID-19 or have noticed a worsening in your depressive symptoms, you came to the right place. We work with many people who struggle with depressive symptoms varying from sadness to major depressive disorders. With the right help and treatment, people can overcome depressive symptoms and go back to be highly functioning and live a satisfying life.
types of depressive disorders
There are four major types of depressive disorders that an individual may experience. We provide treatment for all of them so individuals can live a better life. Here are the depressive disorders we provide treatment for:
- Postpartum Depression: Occurs after childbirth
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Also referred to as Clinical Depression
- Dysthymic Disorder: Low-grade but chronic depression
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Depression that occurs during changes of season
These depressive disorders present with similar symptoms, some vary in the severity and the time they last, as well as the precipitating factors.
types of depressive disorders
There are four major types of depressive disorders that an individual may experience. We provide treatment for all of them so individuals can live a better life. Here are the depressive disorders we provide treatment for:
- Postpartum Depression: Occurs after childbirth
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Also referred to as Clinical Depression
- Dysthymic Disorder: Low-grade but chronic depression
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Depression that occurs during changes of season
These depressive disorders present with similar symptoms, some vary in the severity and the time they last, as well as the precipitating factors.
are you dealing with depression
Here are some symptoms that often accompany depression:
- Loss of energy, fatigue, and lethargy
- Lack of motivation
- Feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, sadness
- Insomnia
- Hypersomnia
- Weight loss or gain
- Anxiety, restlessness, or agitation
- Irritability, angry outburst, and being frustrated over small things
- Difficulty focusing, concentrating, thinking, and making daily decisions
- Thoughts of self-harm
- Thoughts of suicide
- Loss of energy, fatigue, and lethargy
- Lack of motivation
- Feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, sadness
- Insomnia
- Hypersomnia
- Weight loss or gain
- Anxiety, restlessness, or agitation
- Irritability, angry outburst, and being frustrated over small things
- Difficulty focusing, concentrating, thinking, and making daily decisions
- Thoughts of self-harm
- Thoughts of suicide
These are some of the most common symptoms that can help you identify if you have depression. However, you should never self-diagnose. If you feel you are experiencing depression, seeking out professional help is the right choice.
Schedule your appointment now
The therapists at Full Life Psychology are experts in the use of various treatment methods to help you overcome depression. Our interventions are evidence based and we use a multicultural lens when assessing and making a treatment plan that would fit your needs. Call us today (915) 233-7145 to schedule an appointment, we offer services in English and Spanish, therapy works best when it is delivered in your native language.
References:
1. Brody DJ, Pratt LA, Hughes J. Prevalence of depression among adults aged 20 and over: United States, 2013–2016. NCHS Data Brief, no 303. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2018.
2, Vahratian A, Blumberg SJ, Terlizzi EP, Schiller JS. Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, August 2020–February 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:490–494. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7013e2external icon.
3. Villarroel MA, Terlizzi EP. Symptoms of depression among adults: United States, 2019. NCHS Data Brief, no 379. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2020.