Depression Symptoms
For those who struggle with depression, simple things can become very difficult. The act of getting out of bed in the morning can seem overwhelming. People suffering from depression often wake up feeling low, lethargic and weighed down by negative thoughts and emotions. For them, day-to-day tasks, such as going to work, raising children, maintaining relationships and managing finances, can elicit strong sensations of stress and anxiety, resulting in moodiness, emptiness, hopelessness and helplessness that seems to persist and never go away.
Depression sufferers often struggle with feeling good about themselves. Even if they’re successful in their careers, they may have an unhealthy fear of failure and constantly question their adequacy – not only in their career, but also as a spouse, parent and human being. These individuals are frequently propelled by a deep desire to be appreciated by friends, family members and colleagues. They can feel unwanted, unloved, lonely and worthless, even if they’ve made great achievements in their lives. They might lash out at coworkers or romantic partners due to feelings that others are against them or not supportive enough. Alternatively, they may bury themselves in their work in order to numb their pain or to forget how badly they feel about themselves.
Feelings of sadness, along with decreased fulfillment, are just a few of the sensations one can experience during a depressive episode. Other symptoms can include low energy, poor concentration and changes in sleep and appetite. If you meet these criteria, earlier experiences and traumas in your life, combined with the current pressures and demands, may be causing you to experience heightened anxiety and stress, leading you toward depression. You may additionally find that you’re isolating yourself from friends, family members and peers and perhaps even feel guilty over being depressed.
Depression Is Prevalent
Despite the fact that depression is fairly common, many people feel ashamed about being depressed. Almost one in five Americans will experience a depressive episode in their lives and many, many more will experience depressive symptoms without meeting the criteria for a depression diagnosis.
Both biological and psychological forces can lead to depression. Some individuals have a greater biochemical predisposition to depression. Alternatively, others may have past negative experiences that play a larger role in causing their depression.
The vast majority of people fall within a range between these two, where both biological and experiential components lead to depression. Difficulties earlier in life, from troubled relationships to explicit traumas, can affect how one feels in the present and result in hopelessness and poor self-image. Hopelessness can, in turn, cause low self-esteem, self-isolation, self-destructive behavior or hostility toward others, leading to alienation, loneliness and ultimately depression.
Depression Treatment Can Provide Relief
Depression is very treatable. Both medication and psychotherapy are extremely effective in alleviating symptoms. In my practice I use a combination of medication and psychodynamic psychotherapy, depending on my patient’s needs. Some patients will need or want medication, while others will not. While I always try to use the lowest effective dose of medicine and the fewest number of medications, I am also a firm believer that medicine is sometimes very important and necessary.
Medication may relieve the immediate symptoms of depression, but talking through one’s issues with an experienced, compassionate psychotherapist can provide long-term recovery and gains. Through psychodynamic psychotherapy it is possible to gain a deeper understanding of oneself and how depression came about in the first place. Whether haunted by past traumatic events or struggling to cope with a current life transition, being able to understand the source of unhappy thoughts and emotions—like anger, sadness or envy, to name a few—can help one cope in the present and make significant long-term changes in how one feels about oneself and how one relates to others.
A safe, nonjudgmental and confidential space is a very important foundation to any successful treatment; it helps one feel safe to explore the depths of one’s thoughts and feelings, no matter how vulnerable and ashamed he or she may feel. The goal of depression treatment is, in part, to understand the past, how it impacts one’s present state of mind and why one may have certain sensitivities that may be causing depression. Increased self-esteem and establishing emotional resilience are other outcomes of dynamic therapy as well.
Relief for depression is very possible. Many who have sought depression treatment have had success in reestablishing normalcy in their lives. It is important to explore and learn about all treatment options in order to figure out what would be most effective and the best fit.
Questions And Apprehensions About Depression Treatment
Even for those who very much want treatment, it is not uncommon to have some hesitation. Many individuals, even if they are suffering deeply, put off treatment out of fear or inhibition. This is understandable, as facing one’s painful emotions and experiences can be very challenging. There are some common reasons why people delay seeking treatment:
Lack of time:
Many people (especially in New York) lead busy lives and are often spread very thin. Many feel they don’t have the extra time to devote to therapy. However, just as symptoms of a heart attack should not be ignored, mental health should not be put off. Often one needs to be proactive in order to find relief from depression. Not pursuing treatment will only prolong suffering and will likely make the symptoms worse.
Anxiety about disclosing painful emotions and memories:
One of the most common reasons people fail to seek help for their depression is fear. Many are afraid of sharing their most intimate thoughts and experiences, some of which are likely to be painful. Such apprehension makes sense, as depression treatment will necessitate taking a deep look at yourself, your emotions and your past experiences and traumas. However, failing to face your feelings will only make your depression more severe. If left untreated, the pain you’ll likely experience down the road may be far worse than any discomfort caused by the therapy process.
The desire to be strong and the fear of weakness:
A misplaced need to display mental and emotional fortitude is another common reason why people may delay seeking depression treatment. Most people want to appear strong and avoid others thinking of them as weak. However, it takes more courage and strength to face one’s problems head on than it does to sweep them under the rug and put on a façade of stoicism. An inner strength is necessary to confront and think about painful and uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.
Free Phone Consultation
Depression is a highly treatable condition. Please feel free to call me at (212) 254-3145 for a 15-minute phone consultation, at no cost, where we can discuss your questions and apprehensions about depression treatment, along with your symptoms and history.