Understanding Depression

• Are you constantly sad and don't know why?
• Do you find yourself spending less time with family and friends?
• Do you feel lethargic and unmotivated?

If you answered "Yes" to the aforementioned questions you may be experiencing feelings of depression. Perhaps something happened to you that brought on these feelings. Or maybe nothing happened but you still feel sad and down.

If you experience the following symptoms for more than six weeks you may want to seek counseling for depression:

• Change in appetite (overeating, undereating)
• Sleep disturbance (sleeping more or less than usual)
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Difficulty completing daily tasks
• Interference in relationships (family, friends, partner, work)

If you are experiencing these difficulties, therapy can be helpful in alleviating these symptoms. There is no need to continue to suffer alone.
 
Also known as clinical depression, major depressive disorder, or unipolar depression, major depression is a medical condition that exists beyond life's ordinary ups and downs. According to the CDC, almost 18.8 million American adults experience depression each year, and women are nearly twice as likely as men to develop major depression.

People with depression cannot simply "pull themselves together" and get better. Treatment, consisting of counseling or medications, or both, can be key to recovery.

Joel Yager, MD, a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, and Chair of the American Psychiatric Association's steering committee on practice guidelines states that, ''For mild to moderate depression, talking therapy -- in particular cognitive behavior therapy and interpersonal therapy -- can help reduce the symptoms of depression and prepare people not to be so vulnerable for future depression".

The Mayo Clinic offers more detailed information about depression and has a self-assessment tool for symptoms of depression. Find out more at: www.mayoclinic.com

If you or someone you know are having these symptoms, please call for a consultation.