Depression
According to national statistics, 36% of the general population may currently experience a depressive episode; that is over one-third of the adult population. Digital platforms to support social connectivity and pleasurable escapism seem to create as many issues as they were intended to alleviate.
A solid approach aligns with the concept that if no other way for our desires to be expressed, such desires will be expressed through what we label as ‘symptom’. A general physician (GP), nutritionist, psychiatrist, or physical trainer may be an integral part of the plan to mitigate issues associated with a depressive episode – and keep depression away. Membership in a community of choice may further support changes in lifestyle that support gratitude, contentment, even joy.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms usually last 2 weeks or longer and affect daily life.
Emotional / Psychological
- Persistent sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure (anhedonia)
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
- Irritability or anger
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Physical
- Fatigue or low energy
- Sleep changes (insomnia or excessive sleeping)
- Appetite or weight changes
- Slowed movement or restlessness
- Aches and pains without clear cause
Behavioral
- Social withdrawal
- Reduced productivity
- Neglecting self-care
Depression Therapy in Los Angeles: What the Work Looks Like
Depression is easier to describe from the outside than from inside it. From inside, it usually does not announce itself as sadness. It shows up as a flattening: the things that used to register stop registering, effort costs more than it returns, and the day is completed rather than lived. People often say they only realized how long it had been going on once something forced a comparison.
What depression takes first
Depression takes the specific before it takes the general. Concentration goes first, then interest, then contact with other people. Work is often the last thing to fail, because it is the most structured; by the time performance slips, the private parts of life have usually been thin for months. Sex and intimacy tend to be affected early and discussed late, which is one reason that conversation belongs in the room rather than outside it.
Medication is one option among several
Medication is a decision, not a requirement. Some people want it, some want to work without it, and some need a psychiatric consultation before either question can be answered honestly. Therapy here coordinates with a physician or psychiatrist when that is useful and does not insist on a single route. What does not change is the need to look at what is maintaining the episode rather than only at how it feels.
What is underneath the episode
Depression is frequently downstream of something identifiable: a loss, a transition that was congratulated rather than mourned, a chronic illness, or the exhaustion of a relationship in which nothing gets repaired. In adults, undiagnosed ADHD is a common and frequently missed contributor: years of falling short of your own capability is depressing in a straightforward, non-mysterious way.
Getting started
Consultations are free and run 15 to 40 minutes. Call (310) 927-1755, email michael@michaelneetherapy.com, or use the contact page. The office is at 13101 W. Washington Boulevard, Suite 454, Los Angeles, CA 90066, minutes from Marina del Rey, Venice and Santa Monica, and telehealth is available anywhere in California.