Understanding Depression: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments
Depression can be both emotionally and physically painful. It can prevent you from doing the things you enjoy most, like seeing your friends and family. It can also impede you from doing the things you need to do in life, such as working or even going to the grocery store.
What is Depression?
Experiencing occasional sadness is a normal part of many of our lives. Depression, however, is different from sadness in that it is a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest.
Depression can alter how one thinks, feels and behaves, and can impact one’s overall functioning. If you are looking for help with your depression, learn more about how we approach depression therapy.
What are the Types of Depression?
Types of depression include:
Major Depression
Persistent Depression Disorder
Bipolar Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Psychotic Depression
Postpartum Depression.
If you are experiencing depression symptoms, it would be worth your while to seek an expert’s opinion, such as a therapist or a counsellor to determine which type of depression you are experiencing.
What are the Symptoms of Depression?
Typical signs of depression include:
Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, hopelessness, and emptiness
Sleep disturbance
Feeling tired, and lacking energy
Experiencing anger outbursts and iterability
Feeling restless
Inability to concentrate
Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
Experiencing suicidal thoughts, or suicidal attempts
Experiencing physical pain that is unexplained
Wanting to stay home
Loss of appetite
Memory difficulties
What are the Causes of Depression?
Some of the common causes of depression include:
Family history. One is at a higher risk of depression if they are genetically predisposed to depression.
Medical conditions, such as having a chronic illness, or ADHD.
History of drug use can affect one’s risk of depression
Experiencing early childhood trauma
Stressful life circumstances, such as experiencing a loss, or financial struggles
Low self-esteem and low self-compassion
Managing Depression With Exercise & Lifestyle Changes
Coping with depression can be difficult, and oftentimes in addition to therapy, it becomes prudent that one alters their lifestyle to manage their symptoms. Some of these changes include:
Medication. Your health care provider might prescribe you antidepressants to help with managing your symptoms.
Vitamins. Some research has shown that an increase in vitamin D and vitamin B can useful in managing symptoms of depression.
Light therapy. Exposure to white light can been shown to assist in regulating one’s mood and improving symptoms of depression. This is particularly effective for those living with seasonal affective disorder.
Exercise. Research has shown that 30-minutes of daily movement can reduce symptoms of depression.
Regular eating and sleep schedule. Though these may seem minor changes, research has indicated that getting on a consistent 8-hour sleep schedule, in addition to a regular eating schedule can be very effective in managing depression.
When to Seek out a Counsellor to get help with your Depression
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms described above, and have noticed these symptoms linger longer than usual, then that might indicate that it is time that you reach out for support.
In addition to seeking support from your family physician, we at FP Counselling can also help you manage these symptoms through counselling.
How Do We Address Depression at Fresh Perspective Counselling?
As always, at FP Counselling, we tailor our approach to the client we are working with. That being said, some effective approaches to helping clients manage their anxiety includes:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Emotion-Focused Therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy
Narrative Therapy.
Finding a Psychologist That Fits You
Finding a psychologist that is a good fit is extremely important. Here are a few questions to ensure you find someone that will be a good match:
Is the therapist familiar with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), as it has been shown to help manage symptoms of depression.
If CBT has not worked for you in the past, is the counsellor trained in other modalities to address your presenting concerns?
Is the counsellor offering a free consultation to ensure that you and they will be a good fit?
Do they understand the various forms of depression?
Is the psychologist willing to collaborate with your family physician to ensure that they have developed an effective plan to manage your depression?
If You Need Help, We’re Here for You
Allow us to develop a tailored therapeutic plan to help you manage your depression. Get in touch with one of our counsellors to set up a 20-minute phone or video consultation to see if we would be a good fit in exploring your counselling goals.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Get to know us a little before you book a session with a 20-minute phone consultation.
Feel free to reach out to us directly at any time, or provide your email address and we will get in touch to schedule one with you.
