Depression And Anxiety

Depression commonly manifests through emotional discomfort and physically, through stomach pains, headaches, disrupted or excessive sleep, and sometimes motor control difficulty. While the causes of depression are unknown, a predisposition for it runs in families and it can be triggered by trauma and adverse life circumstances. Depression is diagnosed more frequently in women and tends to display differently in women than in men.

Depression and anxiety often exacerbate each other and people with depression commonly have difficulty concentrating on tasks and conversations. Some people abuse alcohol and drugs or overeat as a way of coping, causing them to develop other medical problems. Depressed people are also at increased risk for self-harm.

Depression is a mental illness which is characterized by prolonged emotional symptoms including:

• Apathy
• Sadness
• Guilt
• Exhaustion
• Irritability

Diagnosing depression can sometimes require a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether a person’s symptoms are actually being caused by an underlying condition or different disorder.   A person must have been experiencing symptoms for at least two weeks to be diagnosed with depression. Every case is unique and requires individual attention, but there are a number of effective complementary ways of treating depression, including:

• Talk therapy
• Medication
• Adopting a healthier lifestyle

If you or someone you know is suffering from Depression and/or anxiety, please contact me by calling (508) 419-7882 for information about how I can help.