Depression Treatment Calgary

Depression isn't just about feeling down; it's a real and serious mental health condition that can deeply affect your feelings, thoughts, and actions. If you are suffering from depression, you might find yourself struggling with a lot of different experiences, from feeling hopeless, having trouble focusing or even thoughts of harming yourself or suicide.

Depression can stem from a complex mix of a person's genetic background and environment. It's not usually caused by a single thing, but rather an interaction of many factors.

For instance, someone might have a genetic predisposition to depression, and then environmental stressors, like financial worries or relationship problems, could trigger symptoms.

Mental health problems, such as grief, can also be mistaken for depression, as they can share similar symptoms.

Depression can feel different for everyone, but there are some common signs of depression to look out for. It's not just about feeling sad; it can really interfere with your emotions and make you feel really anxious or irritable.

Your thinking can get jumbled, and you could feel incredibly tired, have no energy, or even feel restless and unable to sit still. You might also notice changes in your behaviour, like not wanting to go to work, pulling away from friends and family, or finding it hard to take care of yourself. It might be challenging to take care of basic things like attending to hygiene or personal care.

Other symptoms or signs that often come with depression include having trouble sleeping, feeling overly guilty about things, and noticing changes in your appetite.

Absolutely. There's solid research out there, especially on therapies like CBT (that's Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), that shows it can reduce and improve tough depression symptoms for most people. It's not a magic solution for everyone, though, and how well it works can also depend on you and your personal situation.

The time it takes for depression therapy to have benefits or show change in your life varies from person to person. While some might feel a lot better in just a few months, others could use longer term support. Short-term therapy, usually 8 to 12 sessions, is pretty common, but if someone has chronic or more persistent depression, sticking with ongoing therapy may be best.

When you go to your first depression therapy session, your therapist will usually spend some time getting to know you. They'll ask about what you're feeling, what you've been through in your life, and what's bothering you now. Together, you'll talk about what you hope to get out of therapy and come up with a depression treatment plan that's made for you. This first meeting is also a great chance for you to ask any questions you have and get a feel for whether your therapist is someone you can trust and open up to – these being especially important ingredients of effective therapy.

Beyond engaging in depression therapy and treatment, there are several lifestyle changes that you can work on to boost your mental well-being. These can include:

• Regular Exercise: Boosts mood and lowers stress.

• Healthy Eating: Stabilizes energy and mood.

• Adequate Sleep: Crucial for mental recharge and emotional regulation.

• Stress Management: Find healthy ways to cope, like yoga or hobbies.

• Social Support: Connect with others to feel less isolated.

• Mindfulness Practices: Meditation, mindful walking and yoga can calm the mind and reduce rumination.

• Limiting Screen Time/Digital Detoxes: Can clear your head and reduce anxiety.

• Engaging in Hobbies/Creative Outlets: Provides purpose, joy, and distraction.

• Spending Time in Nature: Reduces stress and improves mood.

Not all of these will work, especially in isolation. It is also important to acknowledge that it is really hard to incorporate new activities or behaviors when you are caught in depression, so be gentle on yourself as you try to make changes.

Yes, online therapy is a convenient and effective option for many individuals. Virtual sessions offer access to professional support from the comfort of your home, serving as a beneficial alternative for those facing mobility or scheduling challenges.

Yes, therapy alone can be effective for many experiencing depression and therapy has been recommended to be a first line treatment. However, in certain instances, a combination of therapy and medication may be recommended to achieve more optimal outcomes in depression treatment. We encourage you to consult with your family physician to determine if medication, in conjunction with therapy, would be of benefit to you.

No, not everybody responds to depression therapy in the same way. What works well for one person might not be the best fit for another. Things like the specific kind of depressive symptoms, other issues going on in life (such as other health problems), how much support the person has, and even how well they click with their therapist can all play a role in how effective therapy will be in treatment of depression. Sometimes, you have to try out a few different approaches to find what really works for you.

It's expected for depression therapy to take some time to really kick in and have an effect. If you're not seeing things get better but you have been trying to use the skills learned in therapy, the best thing to do is to talk it over with your therapist. They can tweak their approach, try different ways of working, or even point you to other supports that might help.

While fees can vary based on a therapist's specialization and expertise, at Prairieview Psychology, sessions prices range from $220 - $240 per appointment. Each standard session is 50 minutes long.