Depression Is A Common Result Of An Ever-Changing World In Crisis
Depression has always been a prevalent mental health condition, but the particularly challenging circumstances of the last few years have caused symptoms of depression to be more severe and widespread. A 2020 report from the CDC noted that during COVID-19, American adults have “reported considerably elevated adverse mental health conditions.”¹
The same study emphasized that certain groups are more vulnerable to an onset of depression, remarking that “younger adults, racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers reported having experienced disproportionately worse mental health outcomes, increased substance abuse, and elevated suicidal ideation.”² We’ve always known that for those in stressful professions, like first responders or healthcare workers, symptoms of depression are more likely to occur. But we’re now also seeing similar impacts of internalized stress, grief, and trauma in the general population.
Those of us who aren’t in life-or-death professions have been increasingly subjected to isolating and distressing circumstances. We’re living through a time when screens have replaced human interactions and where we receive more validation from social media than from concrete relationships, from a swipe right than from a conversation in real time. Feelings of low self-esteem are generated by a culture defined by “likes” that adversely impact our connections to both ourselves and others.
Of course, there is a difference between clinical depression that develops as a result of chemical miscalculation and generalized depression that is more circumstantial as a result of grief/loss, situational stressors, and underlying health issues. Nevertheless, both disorders signify that we’re out of balance emotionally and psychologically. And while we are conditioned in this culture to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps, depression is difficult to navigate alone.
Depression treatment with a skilled therapist, however, can instill you with a sense of control over what is happening in your life and give you the tools needed to shift from a mindset of loneliness to one of connection and possibility.
If you need support getting out of your own way, or navigating a difficult life transition, I can help you find more calm and positivity, and start living life to the full. I provide highly personalized psychotherapy for those struggling with depression disorders such as Major Depressive Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder, & Post-partum Depression. Depression is a very common condition that can be triggered by traumatic events or appear for seemingly no reason, often involving a combination of biological and socio-emotional factors. It can create feelings like loneliness, fear, guilt, and worthlessness. Sadly, many people struggle with the condition on their own, for months or even years, before getting professional help. If you suspect you may be experiencing depression do get in touch with myself or another healthcare professional. Depression can be effectively treated, but only you can take the first step.
Learn how you can find lasting relief
If you feel weighed down or immobilized by depression, I can guide you through tried and true techniques that can begin to lift the weight and let light start flowing in again. A specialized course of personalized psychotherapy can treat your specific causes of depression so you can begin to feel like yourself again.
Do You Suffer From Depression?
Whether you have lost interest in things you used to enjoy, want to sleep all the time or at least stay wrapped up in bed, or see yourself isolating from your important relationships and withdrawing from life, depression is a miserable experience that can leave you lifeless and even wanting to die. The good news is, most people with depression, even severe depression, can get better with treatment.
Depression is first and foremost a disorder of vitality. Very often depression emerges when a person’s mind does not know how to process scary emotions, such as anger, and therefore simply shuts down instead. We all need to learn to move through emotions in an empowered way, otherwise our brain will register emotion as threat and defend against it at all costs. Tragically, this cost can be our very sense of aliveness, joy, and meaning. We work with these defenses to help you access and process your feelings, accept and nurture your true self, and heal past wounds that created the difficult feelings you defended against initially.
While medication can be very helpful, and we often work closely with psychiatrists in treating depression, especially when it appears more biologically-based than situational, research shows that having healthy relationships and support is a key component in recovery. Working with a therapist provides a stabilizing, safe relationship in which to address the underlying causes of your symptoms. Through the therapeutic relationship you will also learn how to improve the other relationships in your life and utilize or develop your outside support network.
Sometimes it feels like you can’t go on another day, and it is true that recovering from depression often takes time. We know there is light at the end of the tunnel, though, and perhaps having someone to walk there with you will make all the difference. Let us help you come alive again!
If you’re ready to get help with depression, click the button below to set up an appointment with one of our specialists!
Are You Finding It Difficult To Engage Positively With Yourself And The World Around You?
Do you feel deprived of a sense of joy or pleasure?
• Are feelings of sadness, loneliness, and isolation pervading your everyday experience?
• Have you developed a sense of self-loathing as a result of not being able to pull yourself out of a rut?
Perhaps your mindset these days is largely characterized by negative thoughts and sensations. You may be feeling worthless, hopeless, and constantly pessimistic. It could be that anger appears more readily than feelings of joy or happiness, and that may have caused you to become restless or agitated.
Because you’re constantly on edge, you may find it difficult to connect with others and maintain your relationships. Perhaps you find yourself feeling lonely in a crowded room, or maybe you’re discouraged from trying new things or engaging with others out of a fear that you’ll be judged. You may have even lost the motivation to take advantage of the opportunities and relationships that once instilled your life with a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
If these emotional burdens weren’t heavy enough already, depression also often manifests in physical symptoms. You may struggle with pain that has no identifiable cause, or perhaps you’ve gained or lost weight but don’t know why. It could be that ongoing sleep issues have wreaked havoc on your cognitive functioning, and you find it increasingly difficult to concentrate, remember things, and manage your time effectively.
Sure, others may have told you that if you just do “x”, you’ll be happy. Yet, no matter what you do, you often feel forced to put on a happy face that doesn’t reflect what’s happening internally. Depression creates feelings of guilt and shame that likely make you feel unworthy of relief, but treatment can help you reverse this mindset and increase your capacity for joy.
Depression Treatment Can Help To Relieve Symptoms And Improve Your Point-Of-View
Oftentimes when depression hits, a small step can feel like an insurmountable leap, but the therapists at bareWell are here to encourage, empower, and celebrate your strengths. We will guide you in the small choices you can make each day that will change your mindset little by little so that you can have perspective on the root and symptoms of your depression.
After a brief intake during which you’ll be teamed up with the therapist best suited to meet your needs, you’ll begin the process of a collaborative depression treatment during which you’ll receive tailored tools and strategies for emotional regulation. Once you feel more capable of handling life’s daily stressors, we’ll begin to reflect on, explore, and identify the root of your depressive thinking, helping you to recognize where distorted thinking and long-held negative beliefs are adversely impacting your outlook.
Using a combination of cognitive-behavioral approaches, emotionally-focused therapies, and motivational or strength-based techniques, you’ll be able to nurture a more positive mindset and develop tools for coping with depression that you can take with you for life.
Our team of therapists at bareWell has over forty years of combined experience in targeting the traumatic experiences and distressing events that often result in symptoms of depression. We can provide you with valuable insight for changing the damaging thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that have cast a fog of depression over your life.
With the right kind of therapeutic help and treatment, you can learn to manage depression and fully appreciate a range of emotions and experiences. A life of positivity and renewed connection to yourself is possible! And it all begins here at bareWell.