Depressed? Depression in and of itself is tricky as it can affect different people in completely different ways. Sometimes a person can be in a sad mood which lifts in a matter of a few hours or a person may be genuinely concerned because they have felt sad over a longer period of time with the sadness showing no signs of going away.
First, let’s look at the symptoms of depression. Depressed? The DSMV classifies Major Depressive Disorder with the following symptoms:
· Depressed mood most of the day nearly every day.
· Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all activities most of the day, nearly every day.
· Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain.
· Insomnia nearly every day.
· Psychomotor agitation nearly every day
· Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
· Feelings of worthlessness
· Diminished ability to think or concentrate
· Recurrent thoughts of death.
The criteria for Major Depressive Disorder are to meet five of these symptoms for a two-week period. But what if the depression you are feeling does not exactly match up with Major Depressive Disorder but there is still definitely something going on? Still Depressed?
There is a diagnosis called Persistent Depressive Disorder, formerly called Dysthymia that is kind of a low-grade, longer lasting depression that can last for two years or more. I am very familiar with this diagnosis because I was diagnosed with this when I first sought counseling.
At the time I was struggling with my future career path as well as adjusting to a new city that had moved to for work. Simply put, I was burned out. My ways to cope were no longer working and I needed outside help. The upside of a diagnosis like Persistent Depressive Disorder is that in most instances it does not require taking antidepressant medication. I did however have to learn some new ways to cope with my circumstances.
There are two clients I have seen who were dealing with depression. They came in because this sort of blindsided them and they were not sure what to make of it. One moved to Charlotte as a pastor of a church not knowing anybody and this person felt overwhelmed. What helped him the most was talking to someone else who would listen them and this worked great for him to have a sounding board to process those feelings.
The other client that comes to mind is in a nursing program finishing up his residency and what stressed him was not his job plus grad school but his family and household duties. This person did take an antidepressant for one month and this gave him the momentum he needed to stay motivated and on course to finish his residency to be a nurse practitioner. In both cases, each person took the step of seeking outside assistance and took the steps needed to find a solution for themselves.
Being sad, or “having the blues” for a few hours without a clear explanation is actually normal. Studies show that most people will feel a bit depressed Sunday afternoon because the weekend is winding down and they are looking toward another five-day week. I know that is true for me on Sunday morning. What I have done to deal with that is to go the gym. Afterwards I feel much improved.
If you are looking for a therapist near you and a Google search is a great way of finding one. I happen to be a therapist in Charlotte, NC but am licensed to counsel anyone in the state of North Carolina. In Google, try looking for “psychotherapist,” “find therapist,” “therapy near me,” or even “counseling charlotte, nc.” If you feel like you have hit a wall you are not able to get past, call me at (704) 458-6298 or email me at jeffhelms@clearerthoughtspllc.com.
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