Sharice is the social butterfly of her friend circle. Wherever they go, her friends know that she’ll be the life of the party, supplying the laughs and memories. As a great listener and storyteller, she’s often the close confidante of her friends and family when they need a shoulder to lean on. But when it comes to her own wellbeing, Sharice feels a bit less sure about how to remain consistent.
She recently ended things with her partner of three years. Even though she and Danica ended things amicably, Sharice is more lonely than ever and is reluctant to step back into the extrovert role she’s been a part of for some time. Her mental health has started to decline, and she’s feeling apathetic, lonely, and bored. The time she spends with loved ones seems to feel empty, as though the other people simply aren’t there. Sharice has heard about depression before, but considering whether or not she’s suffering from it feels disconcerting.
If you’ve faced a situation like Sharice’s before, you may understand the desire to keep your mental health concerns to yourself. There may be a strong fear of being judged by others, or perhaps you’re simply judging yourself.
At Thriveworks we understand that there’s a strong stigma attached to mental health topics and issues. That’s why one of our main priorities has been to improve access to our stigma-free, convenient, and effective mental health services. While we can’t just wave a wand and dissolve mental health conditions like depression, we can offer you professional guidance and support from our team of therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists at our Carlsbad, CA office. With their expertise, you don’t have to deal with depression by yourself.
What Does Depression Look Like?
We like to emphasize that no two clients will have the same experience with depression. This simple fact means that each person who seeks our services will get personalized care, designed for the individual. That being said, depression can manifest in several common ways, not limited to:
- Feeling distant from loved ones and friends
- Overeating or avoiding eating to cope with stress or sadness
- Decreased work performance
- Lack of self-care (i.e. personal hygiene or a clean living environment)
- Drug and alcohol abuse to cope with emotional pain
- A noted lack of interest in sex, hobbies, or relationships
- Feeling chronically fatigued
These are just some of the ways that depression can manifest, so if your symptoms aren’t matching, that doesn’t necessarily mean you aren’t depressed. It’s not possible to diagnose yourself with a mental health disorder like depression—only a qualified mental health professional like the counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists at Thriveworks can do that.
How Will Thriveworks in Carlsbad, CA Treat My Depression?
The method of treatment that you’ll receive depends on whether you’re diagnosed with depression or not. Those who are recognized as having depression will usually connect with either a psychologist or psychiatrist. Both of these mental health professionals share similar titles, but a closer look reveals that they have far different approaches to treatment.
Psychologists:
- Work to treat mental health disorders and conditions using different forms of therapy.
- Use sessions as a medium for progress. These sessions rely on a candid, professional relationship between themselves and the client.
- Use people’s personal experiences and needs to create custom treatment plans that include coping strategies and the formation of healthy boundaries.
In contrast, psychiatrists:
- Are medical doctors in addition to being licensed to conduct therapy sessions.
- Often prescribe helpful medication to people in order to assist them in managing the disruptive effects of mental health disorders like depression.
- May create a combinative approach using prescriptions and a form of talk/behavioral therapy to assist those who see them.
These two types of mental health professionals use different but effective methods of treatment. As a general rule, more severe cases of depression may require psychiatric care, but it all depends on your unique situation. The different types of depression that our providers commonly help people with include:
- Bipolar Disorder: This mental health condition can alter someone’s emotions wildly, ranging from elation in one moment to overwhelming despair in the next. Those with bipolar disorder might find it hard to maintain close relationships or jobs due to their unpredictable mood swings.
- Minor depression: As the name suggests, minor depression is related to major depression—it’s typically severe in its effect and duration. Still, those with this condition still will seem distant, withdrawn, or overwhelmed with sadness. Minor depression can be harder to detect.
- Major depressive disorder: This condition captures the popular perception of depression. Those with major depression experience emotional detachment and hopelessness. These factors usually take away from their work, relationships and hobbies.
- Postpartum depression: Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that arises after a woman gives birth. Women who undergo caesarian sections or experience a miscarriage are even more likely to experience this type of depression.
Schedule Therapy or Psychiatric Care with Thriveworks in Carlsbad, CA
While seeking mental health services is a highly independent choice, our Carlsbad, CA office wants to help you better manage the symptoms of depression that you’re facing. And if you aren’t sure what’s bothering you, but still want to find help and support, give us a call—our helpful scheduling specialists are available seven days a week. Depression doesn’t have to have the final say in your life. If you’re ready to connect with a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist to get the tools and valuable resources you need, we look forward to working with you.
