If Only The Depression Would Go Away…

Depression can con you—it can make you think you’re worthless, lazy, and that you’ll never feel better again. It can rob you of your energy and make it impossible to get out of bed. Yet, when you want to sleep it can keep you awake. It steals your joy, making you uninterested in things you used to love. It can make you irritable and snappish toward the people you care about the most. 

Sometimes depression has hung around for as long as you can remember, a lifelong bully who reminds you that you are just plodding through the days, unsure of what people mean when they talk about happiness. For others, depression appears after a loss of some kind. When grief has morphed into a permanent and unwanted houseguest, depression often moves in too.  At its cruelest, depression can make you think that others would be better off without you or that life isn’t worth living. Nothing is farther from the truth, but when the pain of depression hits, it hits hard.  If only this pain would stop, if only your energy would return, if only you felt ok about yourself…life would be better, right? 

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Periods of depression, as lonely as they feel, are actually quite common in U.S. adults. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health website, in 2014 about 15.7 million adults in the US had at least one episode of major depression in the past year, which accounts for 6.7% of all adults in the United States. (www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/major-depression-among-adults.shtml). The good news is that effective therapy for depression is available that will allow you to connect with the life you’ve been missing.

THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION EXISTS THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU

Depression can be caused by a variety of factors, including current life stressors, family history, and past trauma and loss. Further, depression can impact just about every aspect of our lives—sleep, appetite, attention, concentration, energy, interest in activities, relationships, thoughts, and our emotions. So, it is critical that a therapist take all of these factors into consideration when designing your therapy for depression. Several evidence-based therapies (meaning that there is research that supports their use) exist that are helpful for depression. It is often useful to combine these therapies in order to best address all symptoms. Below are some of the therapies I use to treat depression:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), as the name implies, addresses how we think and behave. By working with a well-trained therapist, patients are able to identify patterns of thoughts and beliefs that are likely maintaining depression symptoms. Sometimes these thoughts include errors in our thinking--for example, dismissing our accomplishments, or believing we know what others are thinking about us and assuming the worst. By identifying and correcting these errors over time, mood symptoms improve.  The behavioral aspect of CBT includes strategies aimed at changing one’s behavior to improve mood. An example of this would be increasing pleasant activities in your life; initially this may feel hard but, with time, mood tends to respond positively. Other areas to target behaviorally might include sleep, socializing, or exercise. My original training as a therapist was in CBT and I have practiced this type of therapy for almost 20 years.

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) shares some aspects of CBT in that it asks clients to look at their thoughts and to consider more adaptive ways of thinking. However, ACT also includes the idea that we need to accept the reality of a sometimes painful past and feel the related emotions while also moving forward with our lives in the present. (This is important because often we take what seems to be the most obvious path in dealing with painful feelings—we shove them down and try to ignore them…only to have them pop up and cause us more pain.) What helps motivate us to move forward despite the pain? ACT asks that we consider our values—meaning the parts of life that we most value—as reasons to change our behavior and to move forward.  Our values might include our relationships with loved ones, our career success, our health -- whatever is important to you as an individual. ACT also emphasizes the importance of mindfulness (which helps you stay in the present moment) in moving ourselves toward our values and a more satisfying life. ACT provides a different and empowering way to look at your life; I’ve seen many clients make exciting changes using this approach. 

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can also be helpful as a therapy for depression.  DBT was originally developed to help individuals who struggle with regulating their emotions, tolerating distress, and developing healthy relationships. DBT treatment includes the development of skills that address these specific concerns as well as other issues. People struggling with depression can benefit from many of these same skills, whether in addressing factors causing depression, helping with recovery from depression, or preventing future episodes of depression. I have completed DBT intensive training through Behavioral Tech. Behavioral Tech is the training arm of the Linehan Institute which is led by Marsha Linehan, the developer of DBT.

Therapy for depression is a collaborative process between therapist and client.  In treating depression we will work together to identify what contributed to the onset of the symptoms and what continues to maintain these symptoms. We will set measurable goals for recovery and develop clear and reasonable plans for moving you toward those goals and greater happiness. 

STILL NOT SURE ABOUT SEEKING TREATMENT?

Seeking therapy is a big decision. Most people have concerns and are reluctant to take that first step: Why can’t I just get over this by myself? What if the therapy for depression doesn’t work or is too hard for me? What if the therapist isn’t right for me? I understand the concerns and have discussed some of these questions below:

Why can’t I just get over this myself?  
Well, to answer that question, depression makes life extremely difficult. It can be hard for those who haven’t suffered with depression to fully appreciate the pain it causes. If you could just “get over it” you and millions of others suffering with depression would have already done so. The good news is that effective therapy for depression exists. When your teeth need help, you see a dentist. When your body needs help you see a doctor.  When you need help coping with depression, doesn’t it make sense to see an expert in therapy for depression?  This expertise, delivered in a compassionate and safe environment, will help you feel better so you can, in fact, “get over it” and start living the life you want. 

What if the therapy for depression doesn’t work or is too hard for me?  
The fact is that depression is highly treatable when you are given the tools to manage it effectively. CBT is a safe, problem-oriented approach to treatment. If you are willing to do the work, this therapy will work for you. Therapy for depression certainly can be challenging. However, we will move at your pace so you have time to really digest the changes you’re making. As a therapist I encourage and appreciate feedback in regard to how therapy is feeling…do we need to slow down? Speed up? Move in another direction? This is YOUR therapy and I want you to get the most out of it.

What if the therapist isn’t right for me?  
It can be hard to know who to work with to address your concerns. Some things are obvious—choose someone with good training and who has experience. But I know it’s often the other stuff that is harder! Will I work well with this therapist? Will I be comfortable working with this person? Will they really listen to what I’m saying? All are great questions! Which is why I offer a free 30-minute in-person or phone consultation to help you answer those questions and help you make a decision about choosing the right therapist for you. So, think of consulting with a potential therapist this way: All you have to lose is 30 minutes. What do you stand to gain? Feeling a whole lot better.

Please, if you are feeling suicidal, seek help immediately by calling 911, going to your nearest emergency room, or calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. People at the lifeline are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provide services in both English and Spanish. 

If you would like to schedule a free consultation or discuss any questions you may have about therapy for depression, please call me, Dr. Jana Drew,  at 512-960-5265 or contact me here.