Depression & Anxiety

You can't really know the weight of depression or anxiety unless you've been there.  But take a look at this short video on depression to get a glympse. They're really well done!

There are two basic forms of depression: “situational” and “clinical”.  Very often depression and anxiety go hand-in-hand and it is sometimes difficult to know which came first, the depression or anxiety. In either case, familiar symptoms include:

Depression

  • Emotional “numbness” or “blue mood” (which might even be felt as “relief”)

  • The inability to feel much pleasure

  • Lack of energy

  • Lack of motivation

  • Lack of interest in things you used to like to do

  • Impaired concentration

  • Impaired appetite

  • Tearfulness and/or hopelessness

  • Thoughts of suicide

Anxiety

  • Constant

  • Restlessness or inability to sit still

  • Tingling sensations in your limbs

  • Ringing in your ears

  • Feeling fearful and not knowing what you are afraid of

  • Startling easily

  • Dizziness or feeling “faint”

  • Impaired concentration

  • Impaired appetite

  • Tearfulness or crying spells

  • Irritability and angler

  • Disorientation and confusion

It is easier to identify the source of “situational” depression and/or anxiety even though it may not be easy to resolve it.  Although significant losses, changes in socio-economic status, sudden medical issues, may all lead to "situational" depression, “clinical” depression is different. Biochemistry plays the significant role here, and most discover that clinical depression and/or anxiety runs in the family.  More, situational depression can progress to clinical depression as environmental factors, genetic predisposition, as well as our own behaviors, can exacerbate depressive episodes.  Medication can provide some relief for those with clinical depression, but alone, medication cannot facilitate the necessary behavioral and environmental changes that allow us to thrive well in the long term.  Therefore, treatment for both types of depression should include psychotherapy.

Each person is individual and unique, so there is no 'cookie-cutter' treatment here.  I approach depression and anxiety differently for each person.  I may use a psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral or a psycho-spiritual approach.   Most often, I use a combination of all three.

In the Lansing, Michigan area, please feel free to email or call me with any questions or comments at the address below.