Symptoms of depression
“The Fog.” Maybe you’ve felt it before–a numb feeling in your brain and body. It’s all encompassing and feels like a deep darkness. It starts to slowly steal your breath, joy and, eventually, your hope. We call this Major Depression. We consider someone clinically depressed if they feel depressed most of the day, almost every day.
Therapists also find that people who are experiencing depression have a substantial lack of interest in pleasurable activities. Some other symptoms are weight gain, weight loss, or lack of appetite most of the day. In addition, someone who is depressed may have slower thoughts and decreased physical activity. Some will also experience fatigue and lack of energy nearly all day, every day.
People with depression often feel worthless or excessively guilty nearly every day. They often lack concentration or are indecisive. Finally, someone who is depressed may ruminate on thoughts of death or suicide. If you resonate with any of the symptoms mentioned above, it definitely might be time to reach out to a mental health professional. We are here to help and you are not alone!
Treatment Approaches
Even though depression SUCKS, thankfully, it is very common. There are a wide variety of treatment approaches and coping skills available to help you with Major Depression. I don’t know if you know this, but therapists use and have training in several specific treatment approaches. If you are looking for a therapist, or are already seeing one, be sure to ask about the treatment approaches they use to see if you would be a good fit for each other. Here are some treatment approaches that therapists use to effectively treat clinical depression:
- Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Interpersonal Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
- Family Systems
Looking for help? Counselor Nicole Koronkowski can help!
About Therapist Nicole Koronkowski, LSW – Barnum Counseling
References
https://www.psycom.net/depression/major-depressive-disorder/dsm-5-depression-criteria