Depression
Depression Treatment
Everyone feels sad sometimes, but for some people, a longer-term drop in mood known as depression can interfere with daily life. Depression is not just sadness; it’s a disorder that affects how you feel, what you think, and how you behave. Symptoms of depression can include low mood, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, fatigue or low energy, poor sleep, loss of libido, no appetite or else overeating, clouded thinking, thoughts of suicide, and a loss of pleasure in things you used to enjoy.
There are different types of depression. A major depressive episode lasts at least two weeks but is usually longer, where you have many of the above symptoms every day for most of the day. Seasonal depression, or SAD (for seasonal affective disorder), happens when you experience depression only during winter months when there is less daylight—mood generally lifts in spring and summer. Postpartum depression is common among new mothers, and can affect the mother-child bond. Depression can also happen after we lose a loved one, when bereavement takes longer to pass than usual.
Depression can be debilitating.
Lack of focus can negatively affect us at work; constant pessimism can impact our relationships with those we love; and lack of motivation can prevent us from doing the things we want to do in our lives. Fortunately, depression is one of the most well-studied mental illnesses and there are many types of therapy that are effective treatments. All of our therapists can help you learn to alleviate depression and give you tools that you can use to keep your mood healthy after the treatment sessions have ended.
Some sadness is a normal part of living. How can you tell if you have normal sadness or if you might benefit from treatment for depression? You can start by asking yourself if any of the following statements apply to you.
Start by asking yourself if any of the following statements apply to you.
- I feel depressed or sad much of the time.
- I am discouraged and I feel that my life will never get better.
- I feel hopeless, like I am a failure.
- I worry all the time and I can’t relax.
- I keep thinking that bad things will happen to me.
- I don’t feel like doing the things that I used to enjoy.
- Resting does not restore my energy. I always feel tired.
- I don’t have any energy and I can’t concentrate.
- My mind is foggy and I can’t make decisions.
- It feels like no one loves me and I don’t deserve help.
Mindfulness-based Therapy can help with Depression
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems in Canada. Anxiety can take many forms and can be mild, moderate or severe. Some anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety, panic disorder, phobias and social anxiety. Our therapists can help with all of these concerns.
If you strongly agree with several of the statements, you very likely have clinical depression, and you are suffering more than you need to. With help from an effective therapist, you can minimize or overcome the symptoms of depression and get your life back on track.
At The Mindfulness Clinic your treatment options for depression include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), behavioural activation, mindfulness training, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), solution focused therapy, interpersonal therapy and psychodynamic therapy.
