Depression

Depression therapy & counseling

Similar to anxiety, depression overlaps with emotions that people feel as a natural and normal part of life. Sadness, exhaustion, and apathy are all perfectly normal emotions sometimes, but depre ssive disorders describe symptoms that don’t go away or are severe enough to interfere with someone’s life. In some cases the symptoms might include feelings or thoughts of self-harm or suicide: It’s important to seek treatment if you have these symptoms even if you don’t feel like you have many of the other symptoms (below) or if you don’t feel it is impacting your life negatively. 

Depression can look different in different people: some people don’t sleep well and sleep less while others sleep a lot more; some people eat less during depression while others eat more; some people feel sad and hopeless and find themselves tearful while others feel “nothing” and don’t enjoy doing things they used to like to do. Depression can be treated with therapy and medication, or both. For many people with depression, symptoms usually are severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities or relationships with others. Although depression may occur only once during your life, people typically have multiple episodes. During these episodes, symptoms occur most of the day, nearly every day and may include:

  • Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
  • Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
  • Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
  • Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
  • Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
  • Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
  • Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
  • Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
  • Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
  • Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

 

Common signs and symptoms of depression in children and teenagers are similar to those of adults, but there can be some differences.

  • In younger children, symptoms of depression may include sadness, irritability, clinginess, worry, aches and pains, refusing to go to school, or being underweight.
  • In teens, symptoms may include sadness, irritability, feeling negative and worthless, anger, poor performance or poor attendance at school, feeling misunderstood and extremely sensitive, using recreational drugs or alcohol, eating or sleeping too much, self-harm, loss of interest in normal activities, and avoidance of social interaction.

 

Depression is not a normal part of growing older, and it should never be taken lightly. Unfortunately, depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated in older adults, and they may feel reluctant to seek help. Symptoms of depression may be different or less obvious in older adults, such as:

  • Memory difficulties or personality changes
  • Physical aches or pain
  • Fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems or loss of interest in sex — not caused by a medical condition or medication
  • Often wanting to stay at home, rather than going out to socialize or doing new things
  • Suicidal thinking or feelings, especially in older men

 

Sources/Resources: 

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007