Depression

Introduction

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.

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Symptoms

Keep a look out for some of the following signs:

• Hostility, aggression, and persistent irritability

• Changes in weight, eating patterns, and appetite 

• Anxiety, Feelings of sadness or worthlessness

• Inexplicable aches, pains, headaches or stomach problems

• Lethargy, fatigue or a significant decrease in energy

• Difficulties with concentration, memory or decision-making

• Defiant or rebellious behaviours

• Difficulties with one’s existing peer group, Social withdrawal

• Lack of enjoyment or fulfilment from significant relationships.

• Difficulties making decisions

• Family conflict or strained family relationships, 

• Feelings of guilt or inadequacy, Low self-esteem

• Increased alcohol consumption or experimenting with other drugs.

• Changes in sleep patterns (excessive sleeping or difficulties sleeping)

• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

If you notice recurring instances of a few of these symptoms, we at Skooc recommend a formal evaluation. 

Diagnosis

At Skooc, we help you better understand what you are going through. For proper treatment, it’s recommended that a psychologist or psychiatrist perform a psychological evaluation, asking you a series of questions about your moods, behaviours, and thoughts. The evaluation should also take into account your family history, school performance, and comfort in peer settings.

In addition, the psychologist or psychiatrist will ask the parent or caregiver questions about your behaviour and mood. A physical examination may also be used to help rule out other causes of your feelings. Some medical conditions can also contribute to depression.

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Next Steps and Intervention

Our team of professional psychologists at Skooc can help you by providing the necessary interventions. 

Many therapeutic options exist to treat depression. These usually involve talk-based sessions with a licensed therapist who specializes in one of the multiple therapeutic approaches.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is one of the most common talk-therapy-based treatment modalities for depression. CBT helps individuals identify limiting thoughts and beliefs and replace them with more affirming, accurate, and helpful ones over time. CBT teaches teens and young adults to recognize the emotional causes and processes of depression and to respond with healthier coping strategies and beliefs.

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is focused on mindfulness of emotional processes. The goal is to achieve a balance between the acceptance of difficult thoughts and feelings on the one hand and one’s ability to make positive change on the other. DBT was designed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder but has since been adapted to treat numerous other mental health conditions. This speaks to its efficacy in addressing emotional challenges which may occur in multiple conditions.

• Interpersonal Therapy is a therapeutic approach based on examining and working on relationships in one’s life. Teens and young adults learn positive and healthy ways to interact with peers, family, and others, which help them identify healthy boundaries and positively cope with difficult situations, like transitions in relationships and grief.

Other therapeutic approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, group and family-based interventions, and mindfulness-based interventions can also be effective depending on one’s presentation of depression.