Depression Counseling

How Common is Depression?

One in five Americans will have an episode of depression sometime in their lifetime. Untreated, about half of these individuals will suffer from recurrent bouts throughout their lives.

What's the difference between depression
and the ups and downs of everyday life?

Depression is characterized by feelings that are more intense, last longer, can interfere with functioning at work, school and with other people. Everyone has felt down for hours or even days, but depression is more severe, lasting from weeks to months.

Classic symptoms include sad mood, loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities, concentration problems, feelings of worthlessness, sleep problems, appetite loss or gain, fatigue and thoughts about hurting oneself. These symptoms frequently interfere with work performance, family relationships, and interaction with others. You don't have to have all of these symptoms but if you have a number of them that have lasted longer than two weeks, you should consider being evaluated for depression by a mental health professional.

What causes depression?

Risk of depression is usually due to the interaction of a person's vulnerability to depression and the environmental circumstances that can serve as a triggering event. Factors that have been shown to put a person at greater risk include a family history of depression, a thinking style that tends to be negative and pessimistic, substance use, and a lifestyle in which a person engages in few pleasant activities. A number of environmental stressors have the potential for triggering depression, like the loss of a loved one, being diagnosed with a serious illness, family problems, conflict with significant others, work stress and major life transitions such as divorce and retirement.

What treatment is available for depression?

Depression is very treatable. The most common treatment options are counseling or antidepressant medication. Counseling has shown to be effective for most forms of depression and even to prevent the occurrence of future depressive episodes. Antidepressant medications are also effective, but are indicated more for those with more serious depression or those with bothersome symptoms like sleep problems, fatigue or loss of appetite. In some cases, counseling and medication are used in combination to obtain optimal results. Overall, about 70 percent of those receiving one of these treatments will report marked improvement.

What should I do if I think I have depression

The first step is to contact a mental health professional that typically takes only one meeting. Licensed professional counselors, board certified social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists are all authorized to perform and assessment. You can also go to your family physician as a first step. If you think that you or a loved one has depression, contact a mental health professional.

Source: Gary G. Gintner, PhD
Produced by the American Mental Health Counselors Association - AMHCA
801 N. Fairfax St., Suite 304
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
800-326-2642

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