| | What Is Depression? Depression is not
a momentary unhappy state of mind or temporary sad feeling; these emotions are
within the normal range of daily experience and are typically appropriate reactions
to bad news, disappointment, and unhappy situations. When a depressed mood persists
for two weeks or more and begins to interfere with everyday living, it may be
the sign of a serious state of depression that requires professional help.
What Causes Depression? The cause of depression
has no simple answers as genetic, biological, and environmental factors may contribute
to its development. Depression can be traced to a single cause or a number of
causes could be at play. - Health Problems.
Medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, and HIV may trigger depression,
which may be due to the physical weakness and stress these conditions bring on.
Depression can also make medical conditions worse.
- Family
History. Genetics may be a cause of depression as it can run in families for
generations.
- Negative Personality. People
who have low self-esteem and a negative outlook are at higher risk of becoming
depressed.
- Other Psychological Disorders.
Anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and (especially) substance
abuse often appear along with depression.
Signs Of DepressionA person experiencing
clinical depression could have changes in their mood, thinking, behaviors, activities
and self-perceptions. A depressed person often has difficulty making decisions
and following through on day-to-day tasks such as paying bills, attending classes,
reading assignments, and returning phone calls. Depressed individuals may dwell
on negative thoughts, focus on unpleasant experiences, describe themselves as
a failure, report that things are hopeless, and feel as though they are a burden
to others. The change in mood brought on by depression frequently results in feelings
of sadness, irritability, anger, emptiness, and anxiety. Not everyone who is depressed
experiences every symptom listed below. The severity of symptoms also varies with
individuals. A person's diagnosis depends on the number of symptoms they have,
how strong those symptoms are, and how long they last.Emotional
Symptoms Sadness
Anxiety
Guilt
Anger
Mood swings
Helplessness
Hopelessness
Physical
SymptomsSleeping too much or too little
Overeating or loss of appetite
Constipation
Weight loss or gain
Irregular
menstrual cycle
Loss of sexual desire
Behavioral
SymptomsCrying for no apparent reason
Withdrawal from other people and new situations
Getting angry easily
Being
unmotivated to set or meet goals
Loss of interest in one's physical appearance
Loss of interest in activities which were once of interest
Turning to drugs
or alcohol
Thoughts/Perceptions Which May Become Self-DefeatingFeelings of being a failure
Criticizing oneself frequently
Disappointment
Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
Blaming oneself
for unfortunate happenings
Being pessimistic about the future
Dallas Counseling Treatment for Depression
The first step towards helping yourself is to identify the emotional, psychological
and behavioral difficulties you have been experiencing which may be related to
depression. You should also assess how depression may have impacted other areas
of you life including relationships with family and friends, finances, academic
responsibilities, etc. Discussing these problems with a counselor can help you
address the issues before feelings of depression become more serious. Most research
has validated that a combination of depression counseling and medication
is the best form of treatment for severe depression. I believe that for severe
depression an individual will have better results via this approach. I will provide
a therapy environment that is caring, that will ease the pain of depression, and
that will address the feelings of hopelessness. I believe that a supportive and
problem solving approach will provide you an opportunity to change your life in
a positive fulfilling direction.
|Dallas
Depression Counseling| |
