Depression can lead to a wide range of issues in your life, from not even being able to leave the house, to an inability to maintain relationships in your life, and even not being able to experience joy. And depression doesn’t just affect those with the illness—it also has negative implications on their loved ones.
“Through my own struggles with depression, I discovered that knowledge, therapy, medication, and education can provide the strength to get through it in one piece.” –Susan Polis Schutz
When you work with Thriveworks Arlington, VA depression counselors, we’ll help you better manage your specific depression symptoms (from the inability to sleep or concentrate to low energy levels), explore potential causes of your depression, and ultimately get back to a happier place.
We know that depression can make you feel hopeless—but we’re here to tell you that there is hope. Depression therapy proves to be an effective treatment method for the illness. We’ve helped many individuals get their lives back on track after developing depression symptoms. Let us help you. Just give our office a call to schedule your appointment.
What Does Depression Look Like? Am I Depressed?
Depression can look different from one person to the next. One person might struggle to fall or stay asleep and experience a lack of appetite, as well as withdrawal from their loved ones. Another person might sleep all day, lose interest in work, and feel anxious. It’s important to remember that depression symptoms can vary on a case-by-case basis; however, there are common symptoms to keep an eye out for. These include:
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Loss of interest in day to day activities
- Irritability or mood changes
- Loss or lack of energy
- Reckless behavior
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Sleep changes
If feel unhappy, depressed, and you are exhibiting any combination of the above, you might have depression. It’s important that you talk to a professional as soon as possible so that you can get treatment underway. We know this might feel like a scary time, but the best thing you can do yourself is reach out for help and secure that treatment. Our depression therapists are experts in their field and they are honored to help you get back to a happier, healthier you.
How Can Depression Therapy Help Me?
Your depression therapist will customize your treatment plan with your very specific needs and goals in mind. Treatment might involve therapy, medication, self-care techniques, and more. That said, you can help us help you by not only communicating these needs and goals, but by doing the following:
1. Be willing to act!
Counseling is part talk therapy and part learning new behaviors—and then following through on them. You may get work to do outside of your appointments. It may include reading a specific book, keeping track of negative feelings and behaviors, coming up with goals for yourself, or journaling.
2. Believe that you really can make positive changes.
Most people who come to Thriveworks Arlington, VA for depression therapy want to make changes but they just don’t know where to start. Fortunately, we can help you get started—but you have to be willing to put in the work. This simply starts with believing that you can make changes and take your life back. Of course, we will help you work up this motivation and show you that these changes are possible, but believing that you can do it will be helpful.
3. Be open to new perspectives.
Changing is scary. Even when you’re starting from a point that seems scary, it’s common for people to prefer the situation they know than the one they don’t. In order to really get as much as you possibly can from therapy, you must be willing to listen to new perspectives. You must be willing to trust the professional who has skills, training, and experience specific to helping people just like you heal.
We applaud you for acknowledging that you might need a little help to get through this difficult time. We hope that you allow us to assist you on this journey that is learning to manage your depression symptoms and heal.
Schedule a Depression Therapy Appointment at Thriveworks Arlington, VA
When you work with a depression therapist at Thriveworks Arlington, VA you can trust that we’ll take the time to understand your unique needs. We will come up with a treatment plan together and we will provide you with a safe, comfortable environment for receiving this treatment. We are here and ready to help you.
To schedule your depression therapy appointment, simply give our office a call. We look forward to it.
