Depression And Anxiety

Depression commonly manifests physically, through stomach pains, headaches, disrupted or excessive sleep, and motor control difficulty. While the causes of depression are unknown, a predisposition for it runs in families and it can be triggered by trauma and adverse life circumstances. Depression is diagnosed more frequently in women and tends to display differently in women than in men.

People tend to suffer higher rates of depression after giving birth and in late fall. Depression and anxiety often exacerbate each other and people with depression commonly have difficulty concentrating on tasks and conversations. Some people abuse alcohol and drugs or overeat as a way of coping, causing them to develop other medical problems. Depressed people are also at increased risk for self-harm.

Depression is a mental illness which is characterized by prolonged emotional symptoms including:

• Apathy
• Sadness
• Guilt
• Exhaustion
• Irritability

Diagnosing depression involves a psychiatric evaluation and physical tests to determine whether a person’s symptoms are actually being caused by a different disorder. A person must have been experiencing symptoms for at least two weeks to be diagnosed with depression. Every case is unique and requires individual attention, but there are a number of effective complementary ways of treating depression, including:

• Talk therapy
• Medication
• Adopting a healthier lifestyle

 There are many emotions and behaviors that mimic depression and anxiety. Then, there is actual depression and anxiety that can be clinically diagnosed. Regardless of which category your emotions fall into, we will work together to understand and manage these feelings. Then we will work hard to move that heavy cloud of depression that may be hovering over you, negatively impacting your daily routine and the way you relate to the people and situations in your environment. We will work hard to minimize the situations that cause your anxiety when possible, and modify the way you respond to anxiety triggers that are unavoidable.  We will look at these feelings, as feelings; however, we will also want to look at other areas of your life that might be causing or enabling your symptoms.