Depression Therapy & Counseling in Delray Beach

What is Depression?

Depression is most famously characterized by pervasive sadness, or some inexplicable inability to enjoy or appreciate things.  Depression can also manifest as feeling empty, tired, or directionless.  While these concerns ring true for many, depression can impact our daily lives far beyond these emotional experiences.

Beyond how we feel on a daily basis, depression can start to impact how we think and what we are willing or able to do. Concentrating, remembering things, or even making and committing to small decisions can become difficult or impossible tasks for someone experiencing depression.  A depressed individual’s energy can dissipate even with adequate (or too much) rest; sleep can range from “all day” to “not at all;” and we can start to lose touch with everything we used to connect with - relationships, hobbies, food, and our work, to name a few.

Self-Diagnosing Depression is Difficult

Depression can be difficult to identify or grasp, both because its impacts on someone’s experiences are so broad,  and because it rarely develops overnight.  Maybe you read the above paragraphs and identify with some of those things, but not all of them.  Or, maybe you identify with most of them but think your difficulties aren’t that bad:

“Maybe I’m just tired.”

“Should I just exercise more?”

“Just look on the bright side.”

This is where we often start- the presumption that we’re just a little “off” lately, and that some more self-care, willpower, or optimism will do the trick.  Often, with the best of intentions, we feed into the exact kind of illogic that breeds shame, resentment, self-blame, and hopelessness when our attempts to “get back to good” don’t work - or don’t work quickly enough. 

Depression Can Create a Self-Defeating Cycle

Too often, those suffering from depression find themselves either trapped in cycles of trying to “troubleshoot” or “debug” their emotional experiences, only to feel increasingly defeated and angry with every “failed attempt.”  This cycle not only prolongs the depressed patterns but can also lead to giving up on taking care of yourself altogether.

One of the toughest ironies about feeling depressed is that even though it is one of the most commonly reported and treated disorders in the United States, depression often involves feelings of isolation, loneliness, and shame. All the while, the impacts on mood, thoughts, and energy can continuously disrupt or impair everything we usually rely on to help ourselves live well: energy, physical strength and conditioning, flexible thinking, relationships, social engagement, sleep, hunger, and the ability to enjoy even the most beloved of activities.

Common Signs of Depressed Mood

As noted above, self-diagnosing depression can be very difficult.  But, if you notice yourself feeling, thinking, or acting in the following ways, you may benefit from therapy services:

• Noticeable drop in energy, motivation, or ability to “get up and go”

• Things that typically feel pleasurable, exciting, or interesting stop catching your attention or feeling good

• Difficulty paying attention or making decisions

• Feeling easily overwhelmed or agitated with small issues

• Feeling sad, angry, or guilty more than usual or you think you should

• Difficulty sleeping - getting too much or too little

• Feeling increasingly insecure, unwanted, or ashamed of yourself, or that others might be better off without you around

• Considerations that life might not be worth living, or feeling curious about or drawn to the idea of your own death

How We Approach Depression

Just as depression can manifest in dozens of ways, depression treatment can take dozens of different paths. That said, treating depression usually involves at least a few of the following.  

1. Establishing a solid, safe therapeutic relationship.

Being able to talk honestly and openly about your experiences is often a first and best step toward getting help.  How are we going to address a problem if we can’t talk about what we really feel when we wake up in the morning? What do we really think at 3AM after a bad day? How do we really spend the weekends when no one is around to check in?  A safe and trusting relationship is paramount for not only explaining and exploring these things but also having an honest discourse about what feels meaningful and accessible to do about them

2. Finding ways to do hard things.

Research shows that exercise, sleep, eating regularly, cutting back on caffeine, and spending time with loved ones can be useful steps towards improving mood. But,  knowing these things and applying them is especially tough when everything you think and feel in a depressed state compels the opposite. Even more, the benefits of wellness activities are very rarely felt instantaneously. That’s a lot to commit to when the benefits can feel so far off compared to the suffering. At Breakwater, your therapist will help you take meaningful steps towards building sustainable health habits. 

3. Increasing self-knowledge and agency

Often, therapy is an excellent place to explore how our experiences impact our perceptions,  assumptions, reactions, and behaviors. Increasing self-awareness, in combination with taking real action, can be powerful and restorative as you manage your depressive symptoms. 

If you’ve read the above information and feel like you might be struggling with depression, we’re here to help. Contact us for a free 15-minute phone consult.