Depression Therapy in Atlanta, Georgia
Overcoming Low Mood
Do you often feel as though your mood is low?
Do these feelings of low mood tend to affect your day-to-day life?
Are you exhausted from pretending to be stronger than you feel?
These may be depression symptoms.
And Simplicity Psychotherapy is here to help.
Concerns about where you are in life such as believing you’re going to be stuck here and will never truly be happy. You fear that you’ll have to settle for things that you know you don't really want. Maybe you feel that you’ve failed or should be further in life than you are. You find yourself comparing yourself to other people which only makes you feel worse.
Dealing with depression symptoms is tougher than most people understand. It’s hard to talk about it with your friends because they just think you’re having a bad day, or they suggest you pray about it.
You're both mentally and physically exhausted. You need some relief.
Depression therapy can help you increase your connectedness with yourself and feel more hopeful.
Our Atlanta depression therapists help you increase your ability to acknowledge when you are sad and choose your future instead of being stuck in the negative of what you do not have now. When we examine our values and beliefs closely, we often learn how to decrease stress, improve our mood, and live the life we want to live.
What is Depression?
Often when we hear depression, we think of the extremes such as sitting in a dark corner or someone who is suicidal. However, many of those experiencing depression don’t present it in an obvious way. Because we all experience low moods from time to time, it is important to distinguish between a bad day and a chronic mood state.
Clinically diagnosable depression occurs when low mood causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning for an extended period. Depression is a mood disorder defined as a low mood that lasts for an extended period that disturbs your daily life.
There are various causes of depression including:
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- Stressful events: Such as loss, financial problems, workplace stress, or a broken relationship
- Family History: Previous members of the family being diagnosed with depression
- Loneliness: Physical or emotional separation can have a negative impact on mental health
- Alcohol and drugs: The effects of these can exacerbate low moods and make one more susceptible to depression
- Other Illnesses: Being diagnosed with other illnesses can lead to feelings of low mood and other depressive symptoms.
- The time of year: Some people have greater feelings of lower moods around the winter season
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After years of being expected to “grin and bear” extremely distressing circumstances, many in the Black community have difficulty identifying depression symptoms. This means many tolerate discomfort for several years without support before realizing that depression therapy is available for what they are experiencing.
Depression Symptoms Treated in Depression Therapy
Common symptoms of depression according to the National Institute of Mental Health:
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- Becoming irritated easily
- Self-harm or suicidal behavior
- Consistent feelings of low mood
- Thoughts of not wanting to be alive
- Hypertension or increased blood pressure
- Being tired and having a little more energy
- Feeling less than, struggling with self-esteem
- Undereating or overeating (including binge eating)
- Struggle sleeping or even the opposite, oversleeping
- Struggling to get tasks done (low motivation or lack of concentration)
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It is important to note that this is not an exhaustive list. Depression can and does present itself in different ways, in various individuals. Please reach out to a mental health professional, such as a depression therapist, for an appropriate diagnosis and recommendations.
If you are struggling to cope with your thoughts and emotions now's the time to seek depression therapy.
How Can Depression Therapy Help?
Therapy provides a space for you to open up about your emotions and experiences in an effort to identify root causes and solutions. Psychotherapy has proved to be especially effective for common mental health disorders such as depression.
A major benefit of depression counseling is proper diagnosis. There are many factors that can influence why depressive symptoms present including chemical, environmental, genetic, or situational factors. Because diagnosis is more than a checklist of symptoms it is important to seek the services of a licensed mental health professional to determine your specific type of depression. Identifying which type of depression you are experiencing helps you to receive the best care possible.
Types of depression in adults include:
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- Major Depressive Disorder
- Persistent Depressive Disorder
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
- Medication Induced Depressive Disorder
- Depressive Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition
To get even trickier. Major depressive disorder may also have a seasonal pattern or postpartum onset. There is also depression associated with Bipolar Disorder. Please work with a professional for an accurate diagnosis.
Other benefits of depression therapy include:
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- Improved sleep
- Improved communication and relationships
- Assistance in understanding the complexity of life-changing events
- Strategies to relieve anxiety and distress that contribute to depression
- Help to find healthy methods of coping and reacting to challenge
- Identification of negative or distorted thinking patterns that contribute to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
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The Simplicity Psychotherapy Approach to Depression Treatment
Simplicity Psychotherapy offers a variety of evidence-based psychotherapies. These include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). All of which are helpful in supporting a person struggling with depression. You will work closely with your Atlanta depression therapist to determine the best treatment option for you.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
The primary goal of ACT is to increase the identification of the thoughts or emotions that hook us and prevent us from living rich, full, and meaningful lives. ACT aims to achieve distress tolerance by decreasing our fight against natural processes while increasing awareness of our options and values-driven committed action.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT works to challenge the thoughts and beliefs that have influence over one’s responses and behaviors. CBT has been effective in the management of depression by providing action-oriented interventions to redirect faulty perceptions that serve to magnify or intensify your thoughts and feelings. The coping strategies provided in CBT have proven helpful in managing stress and other factors influencing depression.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
As in CBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy encourages a person to focus on their thoughts and feelings. DBT uses mindfulness to help people work on acceptance and living in the moment. This form of therapy reduces negative responses to distress and improves a person’s ability to emotionally regulate.
Therapy can be a vital tool for journeying through life’s difficulties. As previously stated, there is much stigma surrounding therapy but it’s time to change the narrative and make use of the help available.
Are You Ready to Start Depression Therapy in Atlanta, GA?
If you think that you might be dealing with depression symptoms then Simplicity Psychotherapy can help. Our Atlanta depression therapists can help determine your type of depression so that you can build skills to start living a full life. To start depression therapy so you can feel better follow these simple steps:
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- Reach out to speak to a mental health professional
- Schedule your first depression counseling session
- Start living without depression symptoms
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Other Therapy Services That We Offer In Atlanta, GA
Our caring therapists offer other services besides anxiety therapy to help support your mental health and well-being. At Simplicity Psychotherapy, we also offer individual therapy, and therapy for Black women and Black men. Along with anxiety therapy, LGBTQIA+ therapy, and grief counseling. In addition to relationship therapy, premarital counseling, marriage counseling, and couples therapy. Contact us today to get started.
