There are some mornings when Linda can barely get out of bed due to sleepiness from insomnia the night before. She knows she needs to go to work and usually manages to drag herself to the office, but occasionally she even misses work. When her friends call she rarely agrees to go out, and she doesn’t engage in hobbies she used to love.
Depression is one of the most painful—and most common—mental disorders in the United States. It sucks the joy out of life. Despite what some may think, depression isn’t just “the blues” and people suffering from it can’t just snap out of it. It’s a real disorder that typically requires treatment to recover. Therapy for depression is an important, effective step to take to begin reclaiming your life.
How Counseling Can Help Depression – Therapists in Austin
Depression can make you feel deeply isolated, but it’s important to know you’re not alone. Your loved ones may not completely understand, but they want you to feel better, and professional help from counselors who do understand, who also want you to feel better, is available.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), depression affects approximately 14.8 million American adults in a given year. Depression is debilitating. It can not only make it more difficult to achieve your goals, it can also make something as simple as waking up and getting ready for work seem insurmountable. Thriveworks Austin wants to help you chase the dark cloud away and become one of the thousands of people every year that overcome depression. If you’re suffering, don’t wait any longer to ask for help.
What Are the Symptoms of Depression?
Depression can be triggered by a variety of factors, such as genetics, abuse, the loss of a loved one, and seasonal changes. Depression is most often associated with feelings of sadness, but it has a number of other physical and emotional symptoms. Some of those symptoms include:
- Persistent feelings of hopelessness or guilt
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of interest in hobbies
- Decreased libido
Depression isn’t something you want to tackle alone — it’s important to seek the help of a professional counselor. If at any point you experience thoughts of suicide, please contact a professional counselor or suicide hotline immediately.
While counseling for depression is key in recovery, there are some things you can do immediately to better manage it:
1. Exercise. Exercise can have a big impact on your mental wellbeing. Exercise releases endorphins, which can boost your mood. There’s no need to run a marathon. Start small by taking a walk on your lunch break.
2. Eat a healthy diet. A healthy body makes for a healthy mind. Avoid eating unhealthy foods, which can increase feelings of guilt. Limit your intake of alcohol, as it can worsen the symptoms of depression.
3. Get some sun. Studies have shown that getting fifteen minutes of sunshine a day can improve your mood. Even in Austin, where there is often sun beating down, due to office jobs and a lack of regular outdoor recreation, many of us get very little time outside. We might as well live in Maine with the amount of natural sunlight (and vitamin D) many of us receive on an average day.
4. Spend time with animals. Bonding with a pet is a great stress reliever. Play with your cat or take your dog to the pet store to pick out a new toy. If you don’t have a pet of your own, ask to borrow a neighbor’s or family member’s.
5. Meet up with a friend. Depression can make you feel isolated. Social interaction can take your mind off your problems and make you feel happier and more energized. Call up a friend or family member and chat over a cup of coffee or tea.
Counseling for Depression Can Help
Have you ever used the term “my depression?” If you’ve been suffering from depression for long enough, it can feel like it’s a part of you. But it’s important to remember that depression is an illness. And like most illnesses, it can be treated — and beaten.
The first thing Thriveworks Austin depression counselors will do is get to know as much about you as possible—your hopes, your dreams, what makes you happy or sad, and how the life you want differs from the life you have. Learning about you will enable your counselor to help you more effectively. From that first step, you and your counselor will work to uncover the root cause of your depression. Once the root cause is found, your counselor will help you identify any negative thought or behavior patterns that are reinforcing the depression. Finally, once those patterns are identified, your therapist will help you change them to more positive thoughts and behaviors that can result in heathier feelings. Depending on the cause of your depression, your therapist may teach you coping skills to help you manage certain triggering situations.
Thriveworks Austin counselors are skilled at helping people with all types of depression caused by many different reasons. Whatever is at the root of your feelings, know that your therapist is able to help you. You aren’t the only one suffering, but many people have received help and gone on to live fulfilling, healthy lives, and you can too.
The Thriveworks Austin Depression Counseling Difference
Dealing with depression is difficult. But seeking help for it shouldn’t be. In fact, at Thriveworks Austin we believe it should be simple. Thriveworks Austin depression counselors are fully licensed mental health professionals, and while they are in high demand for their professional services, at Thriveworks Austin we make sure you can have an appointment in as little as 24 hours. You can thrive. We can help.
Anger, Behavioral Issues, Coping Skills, Self Esteem, Stress, +7 more 
