Online Therapy For Depression

No! It is not a sign of weakness. They are not weak, they are alone. Alone in their negative, dark thoughts and tired of battling. It is exhausting! When someone experiences depression, the ability to concentrate and think is drastically reduced. We become sluggish, unmotivated, feeling tired and often ashamed.

The most effective treatment for depression is through the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), psychotherapy, (talk therapy), changes to life style and medication. Often, successful treatment uses the combination of them all. If your depression is resistive to psychotherapy and medication, then Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are supplementary methods for treating depression.

There are many things that cause depression. It may be situational, chemical, hormonal, seasonal changes, life transitions, stress and/or trauma.

There are many different kinds of depression. Events in your life cause some and chemical changes in your brain cause others. Sometimes we inherit a predisposition through our family.

Some symptoms you might experience:

• Loss of interest or pleasure in your activities
• Feelings of sadness
• Weight loss or gain
• Irritability and poor anger management
• Trouble getting to sleep or feeling sleepy during the day
• Feeling restless and agitated, or else very sluggish and slowed-down physically or mentally
• Being tired and without energy
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of suicide

The cornerstone assumption of cognitive therapy is that thoughts precede moods. How we perceive ourselves and the world around us often leads to negative emotions such as depression. The goal of cognitive therapy is to help you recognize and re-assess your patterns of negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts that more closely reflect reality.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy builds upon the principles of cognitive therapy by using mindfulness meditation techniques to help people pay attention to their thoughts and feelings without placing any judgments upon them in order to bring clarity of thought. When we can let go of negative thoughts there is less fuel for depression.

Working with a mental health therapist is always the first step. Your Bayridge therapist will sometimes refer you to your doctor if they believe medication may be required. Most GPs will treat depression with an anti-depressant unless it requires a more specialized diagnosis or drug combination. In this case, they may refer you to a psychiatrist. At Bayridge, we provide online cognitive behaviour counselling as well as online psychiatric consults.

The importance of support for a depressed partner cannot be over emphasized. Begin by understanding it is an illness, not a choice. Let them know you understand they are struggling. Encourage professional support, from medical doctors to mental health counsellors. Of course, your patience and encouragement go a long way. Lastly, do not be naïve to think that this will not affect you. You, too, need support. Often mood disorder programs include partners. This is a huge help. Don’t forget to take care of yourself, because this is not usually a sprint but a marathon.