Depressed Mood, On-going Sadness
Sometimes in the normal course of events people experience a period of sadness. When the sadness lasts for more than two weeks, for most days and it feels like the sadness is affecting other aspects of life, it is time to address it. Psychotherapy is one treatment approach that can be helpful in reducing the depression.
Signs of depression include:
- Depressed mood
- Loss of pleasure in life activities
- Weight loss or gain
- Insomnia or sleeping too much
- Feelings of agitation or restlessness
- Low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness
- Thoughts of suicide
Therapy can help by:
- Offering a supportive environment to discuss the feelings, which often can be overwhelming
- Exploring experiences or situations that might be causing or contributing to depressed mood (these may include relationship problems, loss of a loved one, change in life circumstances, disappointments in how things are turning out)
- Learning new skills that can help to minimize the depression
Depression is an illness that is characterized by depressed mood, loss of interest in life, as well as changes in eating, sleeping, and relationships. At times the depression may feel overwhelming, may interfere with relationships with friends and family, and may influence decision making. Some people may experience problems at work or at school as a result of the depression.
In therapy my style is to include both supportive psychotherapy and a more active focus on behaviors that may help to minimize the impact of the symptoms. Developing skills to manage depressive thoughts and change behaviors is often part of the therapeutic process. In addition, we may work together to explore recent and/or early experiences or events that may have contributed to the development of the depression.
