Are You Experiencing A Lack of Motivation And Energy?

Deep down inside, you know you need to accomplish daily tasks and goals, but you can’t find the drive. You may often think, “I know I need to do this, but I don’t feel like it.”

As the day progresses, you may feel shame due to not completing all the things you have to do. You find yourself unable to form any positive feelings about yourself or your accomplishments. It seems like everything you attempt results in disappointment, and the world starts to look a lot more gray.

If you could just snap your fingers and feel differently about everything, you would do so. But this isn’t really you. Depression is telling your body and emotions to stop trying to improve your mood.

You don’t have to continue living this way. There is always hope.

Depression Can Take On Many Forms

Depression doesn’t just stop at having no motivation and energy. Unfortunately, it is like a chameleon and can appear as many different things. You may start believing that things will never change due to hopelessness.

This constant state of sadness can affect you physically as well. Do you often feel fatigued, lethargic, restless, or agitated? You want to be social, but the continuous stress on your body causes you to cancel plans and self-isolate.

Your brain tells you that no one really cares and that you are a burden. These thoughts may cause you to become angry with yourself because you cannot show up for others. You might even feel worthless.

The good news is that you can break out of this cycle.

Your mind and body may urge you to just “go back to sleep” because everything is “too overwhelming.” But that’s just the depression talking.

Depression therapy could be your window that lets in the light.

Depression Is Prevalent, Especially In Times Of Crisis

According to a study conducted by the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, “In 2020, depression was common in nearly one in ten Americans, and almost one in five adolescents and young adults.” (1) Additionally, anxiety often coexists with depression and may have a hand in magnifying some of depression’s symptoms.

It’s no surprise that the world saw a rise in depression cases in 2020. That was the year that the Coronavirus first made its appearance. Many of us were feeling its effects and were at a loss for how to cope—and to this day, we are still reeling from the stress and isolation it caused.

The Rise Of Social Media Has Played A Role In Increasing Depression

Growing up, many of us had our own idea of what the “American Dream” should be. However, once we reach adulthood, we learn how much work has to be put in to achieve these goals. Some of us may become disillusioned or even angry when certain achievements are not met within a specific timeframe.

Social media plays a significant role in this thought process as well. Many people often try to create “the ideal life” within their social media profiles. This illusion makes them believe their worth is tied to their follower count.

Maintaining an image like this can be exhausting. In the grand scheme of things, it isn’t reality.

The social media “false lens” can also make those around you believe everything is fine, and your depression symptoms may go unnoticed. People might think “She’s living the dream. There’s no way she’s depressed.”

Depression therapy can help you see reality for what it is and learn how to deal with life’s hurdles.

Therapy Provides A Judgement-Free Safe Space To Work Through Depression

At Reflections Creative Therapies Group, our depression therapists want to see you as your authentic self and help you express your feelings freely. We want to empower you to break out of isolation by creating a connection between you and your depression counselor. This connection can serve as the springboard for the healing work of therapy.

It may seem scary to start connecting with others again. Even getting up and dressed to go to your workplace may seem daunting, let alone going to talk with a depression therapist. However, we will take everything on with baby steps together, and soon, we will be able to externalize what is happening so that you can understand depression more clearly.

Instead of isolating and getting stuck in your head, we can create a sounding board to challenge negative thinking and help you start speaking out and taking chances.

When dealing with depression, it is necessary to address any suicidal ideation during counseling.. Any past trauma contributing to your depression will also be explored to improve your ability to feel worthy.

There are so many small rituals that you can perform to boost your mood, such as sitting outside in natural light, listening to music, dancing, laughing, etc. Your depression therapist can help you navigate positive behavioral intervention that changes the brain and mood.

Modalities Used in Depression Treatment

You would be surprised how much simple activities can benefit your mental health. This is why we try incorporating some of these easy rituals into our depression treatments.

• Psychoeducation: Psychoeducation for depression can help you understand depression on a deeper level and assess the reasons you have for maintaining hope. You’ll learn why depression arose in your life, how it still affects you, and what you can do to manage it.
• Mindfulness: Uses breathing techniques, meditation, emotionally-focused tapping, and other exercises to relieve depression. This approach can help you be present in the moment and stop overthinking.
• Meditation: Using guided meditation techniques for depression can help you quiet the negative chatter, be present in the moment, and process the issues driving your symptoms.
• Journaling: Utilizing journaling is an opportunity to explore yourself deeper and express yourself freely. Once completed, your journaling can be put away for later use. Journaling is highly beneficial in depression therapy.
• Medication: With your counselor, you can explore the possibility of seeing a psychiatrist for medication, if the negative effects of your depression warrant it, or are not improving.

You can get back to being your old self. It just takes one day at a time. The fact that you are willing to take tiny steps that lead to doable action shows that you have enough self-love for yourself.

You’re Thinking Of Trying Depression Therapy, But You Still Have Some Concerns…

I should be able to do this on my own.

Imagine a sick person who doesn’t tell anyone about their symptoms.  It would be challenging and nearly impossible to get through their struggles on their own. It is paramount to heal with the help of others. Mental health is as important as physical health and has to be addressed for us to enjoy a higher quality of life and better relationships.

Will treatment be expensive?

Putting yourself first and prioritizing your mental health positively affects all areas of your life. We accept most insurances and strive to assist you with sliding scales if necessary. Our practice also offers group therapy, which can help you connect with a supportive community of  other people going through similar challenges.

Am I really going to feel better?

Depression treatment will take time. We recommend going at a “one day at a time” pace. Baby steps lead to success. In the meantime, we encourage you to be patient with yourself and understand that healing doesn’t happen overnight. Just as you can’t rush the healing of a physical wound, you can’t rush the process of overcoming depression.

Are You Ready To Experience Joy Again?

If you want to improve your life, we encourage you to pursue depression therapy with us. To get started, call us for a free 15-minute consultation at (561) 810-6631 or visit our contact page.

 

 

 

(1) https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/nearly-one-ten-americans-reports-having-depression