Do you want to feel happy again? We are here to help.
Feeling sad, down, and even angry, is a typical response to loss or challenges we face. However, when intense sadness lingers longer than two weeks and includes feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness, it might be depression.
Depression is a mood disorder, a group of related conditions, each having unique symptoms. However, all mood disorders have one thing in common: a general emotional state or mood that is distorted/inconsistent with one’s circumstances and interferes with their wellbeing. People with mood disorders can be extremely sad, empty, or irritable (depressed), or may have periods of depression alternating with being excessively happy (mania). People experience depression in many different ways including:
- A depressed mood for most of the day
- Feeling tired or have a lack of energy almost every day
- Feeling worthless or guilty almost every day
- Feeling hopeless or pessimistic
- Difficulty focusing, remembering details, and making decisions
- Change in sleep, either can’t sleep or sleeping too much almost every day
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities nearly every day
- Thinking often about death or suicide (not just a fear of death)
- Feeling restless or slowed down
- Lost or gained weight
- Feeling cranky and restless
- Loss of pleasure in life
- Overeating or loss of appetite
- Having aches, pains, or digestive problems that don’t go away or get better with treatment
- Having sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings
The good news is that depression is quite treatable and we offer a variety of solutions that can assist you in the following ways:
- Symptom management: Depression can come and go but it does not have to rule your life. Utilizing some emotional coping techniques, along with medication management (if you desire) can facilitate a quick recovery and a comfortable living without pain
- Increasing energy, motivation, concentration
- Improving relationships, understanding the core of why your depression occurred, and facilitating communication with loved ones
- Focusing on sustainability versus a quick fix
- Improving Insight and awareness to minimize further harm to self or others
- Reducing unhealthy coping skills
- Providing the optimal level of functioning
Did You Know?
*17.3 million adults (7.1% of the adult population) have had at least one major depressive episode. (National Institute of Mental Health, 2017)
*Of those with major depressive episodes, 63.8% of adults and 70.77% of adolescents had severe impairment. (National Institute of Mental Health, 2017)
*Women are nearly twice as likely as men to have depression. (Centers for Disease Control, 2017)
*Major depressive episodes were most prevalent among adults (11.3%) and adolescents (16.9%) reporting two or more races. (National Institute of Mental Health, 2017)
*Adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old had the highest rate of major depressive episodes (14.4%) followed by young adults 18 to 25 years old (13.8%). (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association, 2018)
*Older adults aged 50 and older had the lowest rate of major depressive episodes (4.5%). (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association, 2018)
*11.5 million adults had a major depressive episode with severe impairment in the past year as of 2018. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association, 2018)
*Severe depression among college students rose from 9.4% to 21.1% from 2013 to 2018. (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2019)
*The rate of moderate to severe depression rose from 23.2% to 41.1% from 2007 to 2018. (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2019)
To read more about depression visit: https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/depression
