Do You Feel Weighed Down By Depression?
Do you feel unable to face your daily responsibilities? Are you suffering in silence, feeling like nobody understands the gloom you’re living with? Do you find yourself hiding away from the world, sometimes unable to muster the energy to get out of bed in the morning? Maybe you have trouble sleeping or are sleeping too much. Perhaps you struggle through each day, lacking mental as well as physical energy and suffering from persistent body aches. It might be that you find yourself being irritable to loved ones or unable to stick up for yourself at work. Do you feel like you are living under a dark cloud, powerless to shake it off? Maybe you feel like giving up or have thought about suicide as a way to leave the pain behind. Do you wish everyone would just leave you alone?
Living with depression can be a lonely experience. You may feel like nobody understands the fatigue you constantly feel or your inability to simply pull yourself up by the bootstraps and move forward. Your lack of energy might have come out of nowhere or intensified slowly over time. You might feel disappointed in yourself for allowing depression to take over your life. Perhaps you blame yourself or your stressful job, the ending of a relationship or the death of a loved one. Maybe you resolve to wake up in the morning and start over, but when your alarm goes off you’re hit with a wave of helplessness and lose hope of ever getting back on track. Maybe you think that tomorrow will be the day you finally snap out of it, but when tomorrow comes you feel just as tired, helpless and hopeless as before.
Depression Affects Millions Of People Every Year
If you are suffering from symptoms of depression, you are not alone. Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders in the United States, affecting millions of people each year. Depression affects people of all ages, races and religions. Whether you’re a blue-collar worker, a professional, a student, living alone or with a loving family, depression doesn’t discriminate. The symptoms of depression can intensify over time or emerge all at once, coinciding with a major life trauma, a period of stress or the diagnosis of a physical disorder. Sometimes people manage their symptoms for months or even years before reaching a breaking point when hopelessness, exhaustion, fear or loneliness become overwhelming, leaving them unable to cope with daily life.
While some people tend to be more susceptible to depression than others, depression can affect anybody and is often a silent disorder. Because the symptoms aren’t always easy to see, there can be a lot of stigma attached to suffering from depression. You may feel like you should be able to shake off depression on your own and feel disappointed when you fail to do so. People in your life might tell you to just “get over it,” unable to understand the weight of suffering you’re experiencing. This is where a professional depression therapist can be the difference between breaking out of the cycle of depression and staying stuck. In depression counseling sessions, you can unburden your worries to someone who has years of experience treating depression. A depression therapist can help you figure out ways to change your thought and behavior patterns, allowing you to manage your depression and live a fulfilling life.
Depression Therapy Can Help You Regain Control Of Your Life
Regardless of the severity of your symptoms, a depression therapist at Swerdlow-Freed Psychology can help you better understand and manage your experience with depression. With the help of an experienced psychologist in a confidential, comfortable setting, you can break out of the cycle of fatigue, disappointment, persistent fears, and stress. You can gain the skills you need to live the life you want, without feeling weighed down.
While seeking help for depression can be daunting, counseling provides you with the space to speak honestly and openly about your experience, without fear of judgment. This is your time to discuss your thoughts, feelings, desires and fears. You can get the compassionate help needed to get to the root of your depression and learn skills that can help you overcome the symptoms that are controlling your life.
We believe in active therapy, and sessions will be conversational and collaborative. Together, we can investigate and evaluate your unique experience with depression and clarify your therapy goals. We will offer ongoing support and guidance as we identify, explore and address the root causes of your depression, as well as offer a professional perspective and insight into where things may be going wrong for you. Once we understand the causes and triggers of your depression, we can develop effective strategies to break through blocks and help you meet your specific goals. Often, people who come to see us are surprised by how quickly they begin to feel better. They feel clearer, unburdened and in control of their lives – at last!
After working in this field for over 30 years, we know that depression therapy works. We have helped people from all walks of life live more fulfilling lives, often after they have spent years trying and failing to overcome depression. And, while you may believe that your depression is unmanageable, we know through experience that the opposite is true. With help, support and willingness to self-explore, you can learn to manage difficult emotions, balance your mood and live life on your own terms.
You may still have questions and concerns about treatment for depression…
“I should be able to overcome depression by myself.”
Depression is a disorder just like any other medical condition. The difference is that, unlike a broken arm, depression can often be invisible. It may be difficult to identify the cause of your depression, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. And, like any other illness, without treatment the symptoms are likely to get worse or come back and negatively affect health, relationships, career opportunities, and life satisfaction. The good news is that an experienced depression therapist can help you learn how to manage depression symptoms so they no longer negatively impact your life. By seeking therapy, you are taking the first step to truly living a happier, more fulfilled life.
“I’ve tried to treat my depression and nothing helps.”
An experienced psychologist who is specifically trained to treat depression can provide you with the time and space to experiment with different tools and see what works best for you. We can begin by discussing what you’ve already tried and modifying strategies or come up with new ideas. By working with an experienced therapist, you are giving yourself the best chance of success. It may take a period of trial and error, but we can figure out what works for you and your unique experience of depression.
“I don’t want to take medication.”
While medication can be part of depression treatment for some people, pharmaceuticals are rarely our first line of attack. In our sessions, we use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is one of the most effective treatments for depression. With CBT, we focus on identifying ineffective thought patterns and behaviors and develop a strategy that can help you change. You can recognize triggers and take control of your depression, one thought at a time.
You Can Live A Happy, Fulfilling Life
If you’re ready to begin living a happier, less stressful life, we can help. Call 248.539.7777 today to schedule an appointment . We can answer any questions you have and set up an initial meeting where you can relax and learn about the benefits of working with a depression therapist.
Your life is worth living well. We understand that seeking treatment for depression can feel overwhelming and congratulate you on taking an important step toward healing by looking up this page. We can help lighten the load you are carrying, allowing you to move through your depression and into the life you deserve.