What is Depression Treatment?
I know that it sounds so formal … TREATMENT… but depression is indeed a medical condition. We misquote the term at times by saying things like, “I’m depressed”, or “I am so depressed that my Netflix series has ended.”
This is obviously not what I am referring to. I am speaking of the perpetual “blah” that never leaves. The sadness that is present every hour of every day. Or maybe it subsides but returns with a vengeance.
The Faces of Depression
Mild Depression
Mild depression might allow you to go through the motions of daily life, but it often feels like you're functioning on autopilot. You can still fulfill your work duties, though focusing and staying motivated can be challenging. Managing household chores may become a task that requires extra effort, but you continue to do it out of necessity. Attending social gatherings is possible, yet engaging with others might feel like you’re carrying an invisible weight, making interactions less enjoyable and more tiring. Despite these challenges, you find a way to keep moving forward, even if it all feels a bit overwhelming at times.
Moderate Depression
Moderate depression begins to disrupt your everyday actions, gradually interfering with routine tasks you once found manageable. It’s as if a wound refuses to heal, affecting not just your mood but your entire way of living. This persistent emotional pain seeps into various aspects of your life, making it difficult to concentrate, enjoy activities, or engage with loved ones. At this stage, the weight of depression can become overwhelming, and seeking treatment becomes crucial, as the challenges start to feel insurmountable without intervention. Professional help can provide the guidance and support necessary to navigate through this difficult period, offering strategies and resources to regain control and improve well-being.
Severe Depression
Severe depression can be all-consuming, affecting nearly every part of your life, from personal relationships to professional responsibilities. Simple tasks like getting out of bed, eating meals, or even showering can become monumental challenges. The overwhelming sense of despair and hopelessness can cloud judgment and make the idea of recovery seem distant. For some individuals, therapy alone might not suffice in addressing the depth of their depression, leading them to seek more intensive support. This could involve checking into specialized treatment centers that offer comprehensive programs, or attending frequent therapy sessions with mental health professionals who can provide tailored strategies and continuous support. It's crucial to understand that seeking help is a sign of strength and a positive step toward healing.
Finding your way through these debilitating symptoms can feel overwhelming so seeking help from a trained professional is exactly what you need.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive therapeutic approach that focuses on teaching individuals practical skills to manage their emotions and cope with distressing situations effectively. The therapy emphasizes the importance of living in the moment and developing healthy, constructive ways to handle stress. Through a series of structured sessions, individuals learn techniques such as mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help individuals better understand their emotional responses, improve their relationships, and enhance their overall quality of life. By incorporating DBT skills into daily routines, individuals get better. This approach also has practical ways to see what is getting in the way of practicing skills. It can get through most clients "blocked" behaviors.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach primarily used for treating trauma-related conditions. It involves the patient recalling distressing memories while the therapist directs their eye movements, which reduces the vividness and emotional impact of these memories. By helping individuals reprocess traumatic events, EMDR can significantly diminish the emotional distress associated with these memories. This method has proven beneficial not only in alleviating trauma symptoms but also in addressing underlying issues that can exacerbate conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Through EMDR, individuals may find relief and a greater sense of well-being, as it helps to unravel the complex web of emotions tied to past experiences.
Deep Brain Reorienting
DBR is my new favorite trauma modality. It delves deeply into the essence of trauma treatment by addressing the shock that our bodies release during traumatic moments. This shock encapsulates the emotional response within our bodies, meaning that even with techniques like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), there can still be a lingering emotional residue. DBR targets the initial phase of our biological response, effectively releasing the emotions stored within. This approach offers relief from common trauma responses such as depression, feelings of helplessness, or the sensation of being stuck or feeling "blah." These are typical reactions many people face after trauma, and addressing them with DBR paves the way for resolution.
Mindfulness involves cultivating a heightened awareness of the present moment, allowing you to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment. This practice leads to greater emotional clarity by encouraging a deeper understanding of oneself. By regularly practicing mindfulness, individuals can learn to recognize the patterns in their thoughts and emotions, which can be particularly beneficial in managing depression. It allows sufferers to let go of the emotional knot that depression often creates, providing a sense of relief. This process of acceptance enables us to release the emotions and thoughts we cannot control. Mindfulness can be integrated into daily routines through meditation, breathing exercises, or simply by paying attention to daily activities with intention and focus.
Exercise
My clients often say I am too depressed to exercise. Physical activity is a powerful tool against depression, offering numerous mental health benefits. Exercise releases endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators. These endorphins can significantly improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. Additionally, engaging in physical activity provides a sense of accomplishment and boosts self-esteem, serving as a natural antidepressant. Whether it's a brisk walk, a session at the gym, dancing, or a yoga class, incorporating regular physical activity into your routine can lead to improved mental well-being and overall happiness.
"Getting Better"
Connecting with a therapist can provide a space to explore your feelings, experiences, and challenges openly. We help you untangle that inner knot of depression to understand underlying issues and work with you to develop a tailored treatment plan that addresses your unique needs and goals and differences.
Learn and hone skills that are evidence based. These may include relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and meditation, journaling to process thoughts and emotions, or engaging in creative outlets like painting, music, or writing. Each of these activities can help manage stress, improve mental health, and foster a sense of well-being.
This is where I frequently explore sensory differences—variations in how we perceive the world through sound, touch, light, proprioception, and the vestibular sense. These differences guide the skills that align with our unique bodies. If traditional coping methods haven’t worked for you, consider consulting a neurodivergent-informed therapist and prepare to be understood like never before.
Identify and Overcome Barriers
Collaborate closely with your therapist to pinpoint the obstacles you face in your daily life and in therapy. These barriers could originate from internal beliefs, such as self-doubt or fears, or from external circumstances, like challenging life situations or unsupportive environments. Together, we develop strategies and actionable steps to overcome these challenges. These barriers often relate to how we process information, including sensory issues, ADHD, or Autism. Many of us are neurodivergent, and our challenges may stem from a lifetime of masking and facing unreasonable expectations.If this resonates with you, know that you have a place here at KDH.
Explore any underlying conditions such as anxiety, OCD, phobias, or trauma that may contribute to your depression. Understanding these root causes is crucial as comprehensive treatment often requires addressing them directly. It's important to note that these conditions can interact in complex ways, impacting your mental health and overall well-being. Seeking trained guidance unravels these layers and provides a clearer path forward.
In this reflective space, we recognize "getting better" is deeply personal and unique to each individual. Every person carries a distinct set of experiences and differences that shape their human experience. By approaching treatment with curiosity and intentionality, we find the methods that resonate most with you, creating a mosaic of strategies that supports you. This might include therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination of approaches.
Remember, you are not alone. Many others are navigating similar paths, seeking to truly be seen. Holding space for yourself and others in similar circumstances creates a web of understanding the human experience. We are more than our diagnosis, being in place that is informed by the all aspects of you is where true therapy begins. Contact KDH today.
KD Holmes, LPC: Apr 10, 2024 3:02:01 PM
