Depression
Do you experience pervasive low mood, irritability or grief?
Depression
How Depression Can Feel
- Depression is linked to feelings of hopelessness or powerlessness about your life, relationships, or future
- Thoughts of self-criticism and other negative feelings such as shame, guilt, and worthlessness can maintain a depressed mood
- Depression can involve crying uncontrollably without knowing why
- Feeling slowed, fatigued or a general loss of energy are common factors in a depressed mood
- Changes in sleep, appetite, or ability to concentrate can be signs of depression
- Depression can feel like pervasive feelings of grief, sadness or emptiness following a significant loss or life experience
- Having difficulties functioning at home, work, school or in relationships can both lead to and maintain depression
- Depression can lead to a loss of interest, pleasure or motivation to participate in previously enjoyed activities
How We Address Depression
- Establish a compassionate therapeutic relationship to help you deal with your most distressing thoughts and emotions
- Help you to become aware of the way your thoughts and beliefs about yourself, others and the world around you can maintain your depression
- Provide psychoeducation to help you understand the way depression works to reduce feelings of powerlessness and isolation
- Enhance your awareness of self-criticism and establish self-acceptance and self-compassion to break the cycle of depression
- Help you identify and build coping strategies based on your strengths and resources
- Stabilize your mood and regain functioning in the important domains of your life, such as work and family
- Encourage you to engage in activities that bring you pleasure and a sense of mastery to combat depression
- Explore, identify, and change the relationship patterns that contribute to your depression and mood difficulties
- Access and express feelings and emotions, and develop skills to assert your needs
- Develop a more positive sense of yourself and others, and a more dialectic view of the world
- Foster your resilience and sense of hope for the future
Ready to Start?
Frequently Asked Questions about depression
Please reach us at info@bridgetobetter.ca if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Depression is a mood disorder that causes low mood. It differs, however, from the sadness we all experience from time-to-time. Depression is a lasting sadness that often leads to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness and a loss of interest in activities, among other symptoms. Depression can be treated because it is maintained by beliefs and behaviours.
In any given year, approximately 4.7% of Canadians over the age of 14 experience symptoms that meet the criteria for major depression. Several less severe forms of depression are also common.
Depression can range from mild to severe and lead to health problems, relationship issues, social isolation, and substance abuse. It can also lead to self-harm or suicide.
With treatment for depression, your therapist can help you resolve your symptoms of depression. Through treatment, you’ll also develop better coping skills so you can experience the joy and happiness you deserve.
The first criteria for a diagnosis of depression is a low mood and/or lack of interest and pleasure in things that you usually enjoy, lasting most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks. Symptoms of depression include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, despair, emptiness, irritability, frustration, or anger, as well as crying spells, loss of interest in activities, changes in sleep patterns,
Other indicators are difficulty concentrating, unexplained physical pain, ruminations about death, or suicidal thoughts. Importantly, a diagnosis is a measure of behaviours and emotions at a point in time and is not necessarily permanent.
Depression is caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. Your lifestyle choices, relationships, and coping skills matter just as much, if not more so than genetics. Risk factors that make you more vulnerable to depression include loneliness and isolation, lack of social support, recent stressful life experiences, family history of depression, marital or relationship problems, financial strain, early childhood trauma or abuse, physical or emotional abuse, alcohol or drug abuse, unemployment or underemployment, health problems, major illness or chronic pain, the loss or death of a loved one, or genetic predisposition.
Understanding the root of your depression will help guide your therapist in creating the best treatment approach for you.
Want More Info?
Bridge to Better Psychotherapy
2425 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario M6S 4W4, Canada
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Want a Fresh Start for Summer?
Chelsey Goorbachan, RP(Q) is now offering sessions on a sliding scale for new clients. Pay as low as $100/session for your first 6 sessions