Depression

Do you feel exhausted, stuck, alone, overwhelmed, stressed, isolated or withdrawn? Do you think to yourself, I’m not in control, not good enough, worthless, or I’m a failure? Do you lack focus & concentration or have a loss of interest or pleasure in life?

Feeling sad or hopeless on occasion is a natural, normal part of being human. However, when these feelings become more frequent, are extending over longer periods of time, or when they get very intense, there is a cause for caution and concern of depression.  

Depression can be described as persistent feelings of hopelessness, emptiness, prolonged sadness, fear, worry, and despair, usually, persisting longer than two weeks. If you are experiencing feelings and symptoms of depression, you may find yourself thinking thoughts like “I am failing at life” or “I can’t do anything right.” Physically, your body may feel lethargic, like it’s full of rocks weighing you down, you may be fatigued like you haven’t had a restful sleep in days, or you may find your appetite has changed, either overeating or under eating. You may have lost all your focus and concentration. All of these symptoms may make you feel even worse. 

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. 

Depression May Feel Like It’s Weighing You Down

Depression isn’t something you can just “get over.” It manifests as thoughts and emotions, as well as in your physical body. It isn’t a weakness, and it isn’t laziness. Depression is a mood disorder of persistent low mood and lack of interest in activities that used to cause joy and pleasure. 

When someone is experiencing depression, it will affect their ability to perform their normal daily tasks. Some days will be harder than others. There might be times when you cannot get out of bed. Loved ones may notice you moving slower. You might not have the energy to take on life’s duties and activities. 

When these emotions and symptoms begin to affect how you show up in the world and how you live your life, it might be time to consider getting professional support.

Therapy for Depression

If you feel like your “stuck” and “can’t get out of the rut” you are in, treatment can help you feel more like yourself again. Our evidence-based treatments often include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It allows us to identify thoughts and core beliefs, which may be contributing to how you are feeling. 

CBT is action-focused, giving you quick insight into your thought processes and how we can address the depression. With this insight, we can improve emotional regulation and evolve thinking patterns. It is proven to help mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and is the foundation for many other mental health disorders. By providing practical tools and strategies, CBT equips individuals with the skills needed to confront and overcome the challenges they face, facilitating lasting positive change.

At Pearl Psychological, our team is ready to help. Our team has training and experience in CBT and other therapeutic modalities for depression. We would love to work with you on increasing your quality of life. Through treatment, we can offer you hope, a new perspective, regain motivation, and increase joy and pleasure that you may be missing. 

If you’re looking for support, send us a message for a free ten-minute consultation, or call us at (587) 400-0300 to book your appointment.