SUMMIT COUNSELING ASSOCIATES, Inc.
Craig L. Loving, D.Min.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Helping you succeed in your most important relationships
303-349-7398 Email
How to Overcome Depression
Overcoming Depression
This article is intended for educational purposes only, and is no substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. If you believe that you or someone you care about is suffering from depression, please contact your primary care physician, clergy, or mental health care provider. By reading, downloading, or printing this article you agree with this disclaimer.
Nearly one person in ten suffers from some form of depression at any given time.
One in four women and one in ten men will suffer a major depression in their lifetime.
Depression can range from a chronic, but low-intensity feeling “blue” to an intense, all-engulfing depression that drains out the slightest hope. Tragically, most people suffering from depression do not seek treatment. Instead, for any number of reasons, they endure unnecessary suffering. Some choose to medicate their suffering with drugs, alcohol, or various activities. Others choose to end their suffering through suicide.
What does depression look like?
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Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
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Feelings of hopelessness
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Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
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Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
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Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
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Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
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Disturbances in sleep, such as insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
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Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
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Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
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Restlessness, irritability
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Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain
(Source: National Institute of Mental Health. See http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm#ptdep3)
What causes depression?
There are four sources for our moods: our genetic make-up, physical illnesses, environmental factors, and our thinking.
Before any kind of diagnosis or treatment can occur, therapists often recommend their clients get a complete physical checkup. This preliminary step can help identify, or rule out, any medical causes for a person’s depression. If you are currently experiencing feelings of depression that have no outward reasons (e.g., recent loss of a loved one), an appointment with your physician is the first place to start.
How is depression treated?
If your physician believes your depression is severe enough, he or she may refer you to a psychiatrist, or prescribe anti-depressants. Discuss this option thoroughly with your physician.
Therapists employ a number of strategies to help depressed people overcome their depression. I use a method that has proved to be highly effective in helping depressed people get better more quickly. The method is called Cognitive – Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
In short, CBT is based on the understanding that our thoughts play a significant role in the origin or maintenance of our moods. What we tell ourselves about what we’re experiencing can often be more influential than the experience itself.
There are a number of excellent books I recommend to my clients to help them overcome depression
Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by
Changing the Way You Think
Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy Revised
and Updated
Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
Even if you choose not to work with me, please read one of these books!
Depression is a very serious problem. Sometimes people experiencing depression believe there is no hope.
IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING DEPRESSION, ARE IN CRISIS, OR ARE THINKING ABOUT COMMITTING SUICIDE:
Tell someone who can help right away
Call your doctor's office.
Call 911 for emergency services.
Go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). You will be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.
Ask a family member or friend to help you make these calls or take you to the hospital.
IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND WHO IS SUICIDAL
Do not leave him or her alone!
Try to get the person to seek help immediately from an emergency room, physician, or mental health professional.
Take seriously any comments about suicide or wishing to die. Even if you do not believe your family member or friend will actually attempt suicide, the person is clearly in distress and can benefit from your help in receiving mental health treatment.
More detailed information on depression is available at National Institute of Mental Health.
All contents of this site copyright (c) 2006 Summit Counseling Associates, Inc., & Craig L. Loving.
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