Understanding Depression and How Individual Therapy Can Help
Depression is wide reaching, affecting more than 120 million individuals across the globe. According to statistics provided by the World Health Organization, this mental illness causes more than 800,000 suicide attempts annually and is a major contributing factor to disability claims made through government and private organizations each year. The impacts of this illness manifest in physical ways too, causing increases in blood pressure and blood sugar, joint and muscular pains, arthritis, respiratory ailments, headaches and extreme fatigue.
Recognizing Depression – The Symptoms and Signs
Feeling depressed is a normal emotion that all individuals experience from time to time. In most cases, these feelings pass quickly, and they do not interfere with day to day life or important activities for an extended period of time. In more serious cases however, such as when clinical depression is present, these negative feelings go beyond sadness. They can lead to extreme isolation, loss of interest in favorite activities, dangerous weight loss, prolonged periods of insomnia, manic depressive disorders and even suicidal thoughts or tendencies. When distinguishing between feelings of sadness and a clinically depressed state, understand that sadness is a temporary, healthy coping mechanism, while an extreme depressed state is long lasting, life altering and causes an unhealthy view of the world around you.
Individual Therapy Can Help You Recover
If you are struggling with feeling depressed and trying to regain happiness in your life, there are things you can do to improve your situation. Surround yourself with positive people, and allow them to influence your thoughts and behaviors. Make a sincere effort to remain involved in fun activities, even when you do not feel like participating. Create a restful environment in your bedroom, allowing you to get enough sleep each night. Enjoy some time in the sunshine on a daily basis. Finally, discuss biological concerns with your doctor. Sometimes a chemical imbalance or serious physical health concern causes a depressed state of mind, so ruling out these possibilities through diagnostic testing and a medical consultation can prove beneficial.
In addition to utilizing the coping mechanisms listed above, partaking in individual therapy can be quite beneficial when dealing with depression. Through therapy sessions, I can help you to find happiness again and regain a sense of self worth. This happens when you learn to understand your feelings and identify the life events that have influenced your current state of mind. Through understanding, you can learn to control some aspects of your life and let go of, or move past, the things you are unable to control. By finding the strength to commit to individual therapy sessions, you can learn new coping techniques and life skills that will provide you with the keys to happiness that can make a difference in your life.
Therapy is proven to be both safe and highly effective in the treatment of depressed individuals. Utilizing the body of skills I have learned as a mental health professional, allow me to walk with you on your path to recovery and help you regain the sense of pleasure you once felt about life. Contact me today and begin the recovery process!
