Do you find yourself staring off into space, feeling numb, crying for no particular reason, or just feeling empty inside?  Maybe you feel disconnected or find yourself isolating and avoiding friends and family who care about you? You find that even when you’re with friends, you feel disconnected and lonely.

Perhaps you have noticed a change in your sleep and eating patterns.  You may be eating or sleeping more or less than normal. Regardless of your sleep or eating patterns, you may feel as though your energy is zapped and life is just exhausting.  You try so hard to focus on work, school, reading, or even talking with friends, but it’s hard to process information these days.

Depression can sneak up on you. You may feel stuck or unsure what to do.  You may even know what you need to do but are just unable to do it. Perhaps, even the thought of doing what you need to do seems impossible or pointless.

Hopelessness or thoughts of death or suicide also may be present in the course of a depressive episode.  If suicidal thoughts are present, you should not hesitate in getting help! Call 911 immediately or take yourself to the nearest emergency room if you are worried about yourself or loved one taking their own life.  You don’t have to do this alone, even if you feel like you are alone in your life. No matter how hopeless you might feel, there is always a spark of hope and help is available for you.

Signs of Depression

If you have been experiencing some of the following signs and symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks you may be suffering from depression:

·         Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood

·         Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism

·         Irritability

·         Feelings of guilt or worthlessness

·         Loss of interest in hobbies and activities

·         Decreased energy or fatigue

·         Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions

·         Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

·         Appetite and/or weight changes

·         Thoughts of death, or suicide attempts

·         Aches, pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a physical cause

Depression is a real biologically and psychologically based illness that can have a major impact on your life if not treated.  Untreated depression can lead to major social, financial, academic, medical and other devastating effects in a person’s life. Relationships suffer as depression takes a major toll on friends and loved ones who watch you suffer through it.

You want to feel better
& deserve to feel better

Millions of people seek treatment every year for depression related issues.  At Growth for Living treatment consists of interventions focused on how faulty thinking contributes to unhealthy beliefs about yourself and others, it challenges the unhelpful behaviors or the ‘rut’ that you may have found yourself stuck in during the course of depression. You will be challenged to both think and do things differently and be equipped to identify the warning signs and triggers for depression in order to prevent any future occurrences.

No two people are affected the same way by depression and there is no “one-size-fits-all” treatment. We will work together coming from a place of compassion and empathy. I have walked with people as they heal from depression using evidence-based forms of counseling: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and EMDR.