Depression Therapy

Do You Feel A Lack Of Interest Or Pleasure In Life?

Have you been feeling sad, empty, and hopeless lately? Do you feel unable to concentrate or enjoy your life, but you can’t say why? Perhaps you’re suffering from low self-worth, and you worry that you’ve brought your feelings on yourself. Maybe other people tell you to just “snap out of it,” or “pull yourself up by the bootstraps,” which only heightens your feelings of worthlessness.

When you’re dealing with depression, it’s difficult to find any interest or pleasure in life. The things that other people enjoy may seem to have no effect on you. You may find yourself overly fatigued, sleeping excessively, and neglecting responsibilities. Or perhaps you eat too much or too little, and suffer from random increases or decreases in appetite. You may even wrestle with self-harm or thoughts of suicide.

water surrounded by a forest with heavy fog blocking view of sky

Deep down, you probably think to yourself: I just can’t go on living like this.

If this is the case, we encourage you to seek depression therapy. Working together, we can help you identify the roots of your depression and develop skills for keeping negative thoughts and emotions in check.

Depression Is More Prevalent Than Ever Before

More than 260 million people all over the globe suffer from depression. It is the world’s leading cause of disability. People who are recently divorced, facing financial hardship, or dealing with trauma and abuse are especially at risk for depression. The condition often affects people independently of circumstances, however. Many people who suffer from it appear to lead happy lives on the outside; they may seem to have everything going for them.

In the US today, depression is more prevalent than ever before. Faced with an out-of-control pandemic, social unrest, and widespread unemployment, it’s no wonder the condition is on the rise. Many Americans who need depression treatment don’t get the care they require. In fact, depression receives only 1/100th of the funding that breast cancer gains annually, even though about as many people die of suicide as they do of breast cancer every year.

Moreover, as a nation, we are generally taught to get by on our own power when it comes to mental health. Seeking help is often viewed as “cowardice.” This attitude doesn’t bode well with depression—after all, it’s nearly impossible to overcome a major depressive disorder on your own. This is why it’s so vital to pursue depression therapy.

Depression Treatment Is A Chance To Learn New Skills And Correct Negative Thought Patterns

When you’re coping with depression, it’s hard to find someone trustworthy and compassionate to express your feelings to. In depression counseling, you have a chance to share your story with someone who is deeply sensitive, knowledgeable, and accepting of your unique perspective. It is a space for you to unwind from the stressors of the outside world. A place where you’ll learn coping skills, breathing strategies, and practical ways to improve your self-image.

In the intake session, we will conduct a biopsychosocial review that usually lasts anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes. This assessment will look at your symptoms, explore treatment options, and see if you fit the criteria for major depressive disorder. We may also give you a Life Script Questionnaire to fill out. The Life Script Questionnaire looks at how early childhood experiences may have influenced your mental health today. If your family of origin had certain expectations for you when you were young, we will explore how those expectations may have unconsciously affected your life as an adult.

Our practice draws inspiration from a diverse range of approaches and modalities. We often utilize Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a form of counseling that aims to help you confront negative thought patterns and question the messages your brain is telling you. Challenging these messages can help you make changes in your emotions, behavior, and overall self-esteem.

Additionally, we often draw from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). At its core, ACT helps you accept the emotional responses you’ve developed in life and commit to making changes in your behavior. The idea is to recognize what you can’t change in your life and focus on what you can. ACT incorporates your own values into the bigger picture of therapy so that the changes you make are directed towards personal fulfillment.

Between all our therapists at Wilmington Psychotherapy, we have over 50 years of experience working with clients. By correcting negative thought patterns and committing to achievable goals with our expert guidance, it is possible to find relief from symptoms of depression. Oftentimes, it’s simply a matter of finding someone who can empathize with your struggles and offer practical skills for overcoming them.

You may have some questions about depression treatment…

I’m so depressed, I’m not sure anything can actually help me.

Because depression makes you feel hopeless, it’s common to think that nothing can help you. Depression is highly treatable, however. Oftentimes, it’s the small adjustments that make all the difference, such as correcting harmful self-beliefs that reinforce feelings of sadness in your life. Working together, we can help you identify where your depression is coming from and stop it from wreaking havoc on your life.

I’ve been to so many other professionals and none of them could help me.

Here at Wilmington Psychotherapy, we’re used to stories of people who’ve never received the care they really needed from healthcare professionals. That’s why we pride ourselves on being different. Our approach aims to be as multifaceted and well-rounded as possible. We incorporate your early childhood experiences, formative relationships, present stressors and future goals into the big picture of therapy. Our treatment approach has something for everyone. We believe you will feel differently about us than past therapists.

I struggled with suicidal thoughts when I was younger, but it’s not a concern anymore.

Almost everyone, at some point in their lives, has had suicidal thoughts—even if not necessarily suicidal desires. If you ever struggled with suicidal ideation on a regular basis, however, going to counseling is an important proactive measure. Just because your suicidal episode may have occurred a long time ago doesn’t mean the feelings won’t crop up again. Old patterns of thinking often return during periods of extreme stress. In order to stop suicidal feelings from coming back into your life, you may need a therapist to help you understand how and why they came about.

field with small building and mountains in background

Don’t Let Depression Interfere With Your Hopes And Dreams

If your life feels empty and hopeless, and it’s a struggle just to get out of bed, we encourage you to seek support. Coming to counseling is the first step towards relief. To get started, you can email us or call 910-777-1189 for a free, 15-minute phone consultation. You can also use the online intake portal to set up an appointment.

At the moment, due to COVID-19, we provide a mix of both telehealth and in-person treatment for depression.

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