Depression is not a part of normal life and is not something a person will just “snap out of.”
Depression interferes with daily activities and normal functioning. It causes significant pain for the person with the disorder and for their family and friends.
It is important to understand that feeling depressed is not simply the result of a ‘chemical imbalance’, for example, because you have too much or not enough of a particular brain chemical.
It is quite complex, and there are multiple causes of depression. Factors such as genetic vulnerability, severe life stressors, substances you may take (some medications, drugs, and alcohol) and medical conditions can affect the way your brain regulates your moods.
If you are suffering from depression, MindLAB Life Coaching provides a wide range of treatments, including non-pharmacological alternative solutions such as neural rewiring and non-invasive brain chemical modification.
How do I know if I need Depression help?
Depression leads to a wide variety of signs and symptoms that vary from day-to-day. When you’re depressed, you may experience:
- Sadness and hopelessness nearly every day, for most of the day
- Loss of interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy (i.e. hobbies, sex, going out with friends, etc)
- Feeling guilty, helpless, or worthless
- Having thoughts about death, self-harm or suicide, or have attempted suicide
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Unintended weight loss or weight gain, appetite loss, or overeating
- Feeling tired nearly every day, for most of the day, and lack of energy for daily activities
- Suffering from frequent crying spells
- Having difficulty concentrating, remembering details, or making decisions
- Having persistent aches or pains, headaches, or digestive problems that do not get better with treatment
- Feeling restless, irritated, or easily annoyed on a regular basis
Types of Depression Disorders
Major Depression
People with major depression experience symptoms most of the day, every day. Like many mental health conditions, it has little to do with what’s happening around you. You can have a loving family, tons of friends, and a dream job. You can have the kind of life that others envy and still have depression. Even if there’s no obvious reason for your depression, that doesn’t mean it’s not real or that you can simply tough it out.
Situational Depression
Clinically known as adjustment disorder with depressed mood, it frequently looks like major depression in many respects. But it’s brought on by specific events or situations, such as: the death of a loved one, a serious illness, divorce, serious financial difficulties or being in a verbally or physically abusive relationship.
Of course, it’s normal to feel sad and anxious during events like these — even to withdraw from others for a bit. But situational depression happens when these feelings start to feel out of proportion with the triggering event and interfere with your daily life.
Persistent Depression
Although it’s a long-term type of depression, the severity of symptoms can become less intense for months at a time, before worsening again. Some people also have episodes of major depression before or while they have a persistent depressive disorder. This is called double depression. Persistent depression lasts for years at a time, so people with this type of depression may start to feel like their symptoms are just part of their normal outlook on life.
Manic Depression or Bi-Polar Disorder
Manic depression consists of periods of mania or hypomania, where you feel very happy, alternating with episodes of depression. In severe cases, episodes can include hallucinations and delusions. Hypomania is a less severe form of mania. You can also have mixed episodes in which you have symptoms of both mania and depression.
Dysthymia
Dysthymic disorder is a smoldering mood disturbance characterized by a long duration (at least two years) as well as transient periods of normal mood. Usually accompanied by at least two other symptoms of depression.
Postpartum Depression
Most new moms experience postpartum “baby blues” after childbirth, which commonly include mood swings, crying spells, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. Baby blues typically begin within the first two to three days after delivery and may last for up to two weeks.
But some new moms experience a more severe, long-lasting form of depression known as postpartum depression. Rarely, an extreme mood disorder called postpartum psychosis also may develop after childbirth.
Seasonal Depression
Seasonal depression is depression that’s related to certain seasons. For most people, it tends to happen during the winter months. Symptoms often begin in the fall and continue through the winter. Seasonal depression may get worse as the season progresses and can lead to suicidal thoughts.
Depressive Psychosis
Some people with major depression also go through periods of losing touch with reality. This is known as psychosis, which can involve hallucinations and delusions. Experiencing both of these together is known clinically as major depressive disorder with psychotic features. Hallucinations are when you see, hear, smell, taste, or feel things that aren’t really there. A delusion is a closely held belief that’s clearly false or doesn’t make sense. But to someone experiencing psychosis, all of these things are very real and true.
What is the most effective treatment for Depression?
Utilizing the latest findings in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, MindLAB Life Coaching has developed a state-of-the-art program that serves as an alternative to depression treatments that are antiquated and DO NOT WORK.
This non-invasive treatment involves using your brain’s natural ability to change, neuroplasticity, its own neural connectivity, and its inherent ability to generate new, much healthier connections, called neurogenesis. This process has shown stellar results in abating and abolishing depression symptoms.
At MindLAB Life Coaching we use the latest and most innovative techniques to teach you how to regulate your brain’s neural pathways to a much healthier way of thinking, feeling, emoting, behaving, and perceiving. It’s like a workout for a brain, and the best part is that the changes we make are permanent and become your new default setting.
If you are already taking medication for your depression, MindLAB Life Coaching offers Pharmacology Consulting.
NYC MindLAB is dedicated to ensuring you learn to control your depression in an effort to improve your mental and physical well-being.
