Jack was having trouble getting out of bed. He wasn’t sick or injured, yet he felt as if moving was next to impossible. For over a month, the simple act of getting out from under the covers and walking to his kitchen felt like a gargantuan task. In his head, he called himself lazy, weak, and useless. He started to feel like if this was how he would lead his life, maybe he didn’t want to continue.
What Jack didn’t realize was that he was suffering from a depressive disorder. When he started to miss birthdays and plans with his friends because he couldn’t get out of bed, he knew something needed to change. After doing some research online, he decided to start seeing a therapist.
Now, although everyday tasks still don’t come easy to Jack, working with a therapist has allowed him to start establishing a routine that gets him out of his house in the mornings. A way forward doesn’t feel so impossible anymore.
Working with a mental health professional can help people with depression manage their symptoms and live their best life. If you’re dealing with depression like Jack, the mental health professionals at Thriveworks Counseling in Palo Alto, CA are here to help. Call our office today or use our online scheduling tool to get started.
What Are Depressive Disorders?
As Jack’s experience shows, depression can be incredibly debilitating and difficult to overcome on your own. It is a mood disorder, which means that it can significantly impact your mood, how you see yourself, and how you understand the world. Depression is more than just feeling sad — it’s a mental health issue that can worsen over time if left untreated.
Depression can look different for everyone, but some signs are more common than others. Some signs that you might be dealing with depression include:
- Feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness
- Self-blame and guilt
- Changes in appetite and sleeping patterns
- Low self-esteem
- Relationship problems
- Decreased energy
- Trouble concentrating and making decisions
- Heightened sensitivity to failure or rejection
- Thoughts of death, suicide, and self-harm
There are different forms of depression, categorized by the type of symptoms you experience, when you experience these symptoms, and for how long you experience these symptoms. Some of these forms include:
- Major depressive disorder: Major depressive disorder is characterized by a depressed mood and a significant loss of interest in activities, typically for a period of time longer than two weeks.
- Persistent depressive disorder: This describes when you experience depression symptoms regularly for two years or more.
- Postpartum depression: New mothers can experience this disorder which can include symptoms such as mood swings, crying spells, difficulty sleeping, or anxiety for two weeks or more.
These disorders and the other types of depression can impact every part of your life. But you don’t have to accept a lower quality of life. By working with licensed mental health professionals, like the therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists at Thriveworks in Palo Alto, CA, you can find control over your mental health and live a happy and fulfilling life.
How Therapy Can Help With Treating Depression
Working with a therapist or counselor can help you manage and cope with the symptoms of your depression. Diagnosing the disorder early can help in combating and alleviating the severity of depression symptoms. However, this doesn’t mean that people with long-term untreated depression should despair. Working with a mental health professional can help people with depression no matter how long they’ve dealt with the disorder.
One of the most common types of therapy for depression is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps people learn to rethink distorted thought patterns and beliefs about themselves, other people, and the world around them. Learning how to change these thought patterns can have a major impact on a person’s life.
In addition to empowering you with the tools to cope with your mental health, therapy can also help you make positive changes in your relationships and generally increase your quality of life. The skills taught in therapy are meant to stay with you far beyond your last session. In addition to talk therapy, medication can also help people manage their depression in some situations.
If you have questions or concerns about the therapeutic process, our team at Thriveworks in Palo Alto, CA is here for you. Call our office today to set up your first session.
Meet With a Therapist or Counselor at Thriveworks Counseling in Palo Alto, CA
If you’re tired of dealing with depression, consider scheduling an appointment with us at Thriveworks Counseling in Palo Alto, CA. Our mental health professionals can help you manage your depression and live a happier, healthier life.
When you call or click today, you can set up an in-person or online session with one of our expert providers — new clients are often seen in as little as 24 hours. We also accept most forms of insurance and offer affordable self-pay rates.
Call us today or use our online appointment scheduling tool if you think you could benefit from working with a mental health professional.
