Dallas Depression Therapists
Dallas CBT offers depression treatment that equips you with strategies and tools to combat depressive patterns and enhance your overall quality of life. Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in the United States and can occur at any point in the lifespan. Although depression can feel persistent and stubborn at times, cognitive behavioral therapy has shown to be an effective approach to improving mood by changing thinking and behaviors patterns that create depressed feelings.
Though we can all expect to have times in our lives where we’re feeling down, most of these periods will resolve on their own in a short period of time. An episode of depression is much more difficult than occasional sadness, involving symptoms that may include down or depressed mood, loss of interest in the things you normally enjoy, changes in appetite (either eating much more or less than usual), sleep problems, loss of energy, difficulty concentrating, or feelings of worthlessness. In some cases, this can also include thoughts of death or suicide. Someone struggling with depression will experience several of these symptoms almost every day for an extended period of time.
Potential Signs of Depression
- Feeling down or depressed most of the time
- Difficulty getting out of bed
- Low motivation to accomplish tasks
- Having a hard time enjoying yourself, even with activities or people who you normally enjoy
- Weight fluctuations
- Insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping a lot)
- Restlessness or moving very slowly which is noticeable to others
- Feeling tired or without energy
- Concentration difficulties
- Thoughts of death or dying, or thoughts of harming yourself
Depression Treatment
CBT for depression teaches individuals to examine how their patterns of thinking, behaviors, and emotions mutually affect each other in the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms. Special focus is spent on negative patterns of thinking, and how these patterns shape one’s view of themselves, others, and the world around them. Clients are also helped to engage or re-engage in those valued behaviors which will help fight symptoms of depression; this can include anything from exercise to reading to volunteer work. Addressing these patterns of thoughts and behaviors will cause significant positive changes in mood and feelings. CBT with children often involves creative implementation, including games, worksheets, and activities, as well as considerable involvement and engagement from the parent(s).