Depression is one of the leading causes for low productivity in the workplace. Approximately 18.8 million American adults struggle with a depressive episode each year. Depression is very different from ‘the blues’. We all feel sad sometimes and certainly major life events can cause us to feel depressed. However, if you are finding life difficult or have more sad days than not, you may be experiencing some level of depression that needs to be explored.
Depression can affect us psychologically as well as physically. Depression is a complex condition characterized by changes in thinking, mood, or behavior that can affect anyone. Depression is influenced by a number of factors such as genetics; psychology (e.g., personality and temperament), gender, and the environment (e.g., physical environment and social support).
Often, we don’t recognize that we are depressed. Depression is insidious and permeates every aspect of our lives. We can find ourselves making excuses for not wanting to be with friends or not finding joy in the activities that we looked forward to in the past. The feelings associated with depression usually come upon us so gradually that we don’t really know when it ‘hit’ us or even how bad it is until a friend or family member informs us of our behavior and attitude.
The good news is is it treatable with psychotherapy and sometimes medication. I use a very conservative approach when discussing medication with clients. Most of us really don’t want to be on medication and would prefer using other avenues to work through depression. I work with my clients to find a good fit for them and their lifestyle. Studies have shown that ‘talk therapy’ is just as effective in most cases to combat depression. I work with my clients to come up with goals for therapy and explore how we know when you are feeling better. This way we know what we are working toward and have something tangible that you can achieve.