The Truth About Facing Depression and How to Overcome it

Everybody knows depression spikes when a new year starts. Feelings of isolation can increase after the holidays, when people seemed to be around every corner. Feelings of inadequacy may intensify at a time when many people are reflecting on the previous year and planning for the next one. The specific reasons are as varied as the people who feel depression.

Depression can be tough to deal with alone, especially if being alone is part of the depression cycle. One of the best things a person can do when dealing with depression is to get professional help. A trained psychologist can help you face depression, and eventually beat it. From medication to talk therapy their training and experience has given them a large toolbox. Rest assured they can reach into that toolbox and find the right treatment for you.

Medication is one of the most common forms of depression treatment. In some cases, medication is a short-term need supplanted by progress made through other methods of treatment. In other cases, medication may be the best long term care option for an individual. Medication is almost never given as the only form of treatment. At the very least there are still regular visits to monitor the effect of medication over time.

What Does A Psychologist Look For?

When a psychologist looks at the whole picture of a patient’s well-being they may discover some lifestyle changes to suggest. Adding exercise and meditation to a daily routine can increase the effectiveness of other treatment options. Some dietary changes may also be suggested. In cases of mild depression lifestyle changes alone may be enough.

Talk therapy is what most people picture when they think of visiting a psychiatrist. The most classic form of this is a patient lying down on a couch talking to the therapist while the therapist takes notes on a yellow legal pad. It doesn’t have to look like this though. Sitting at a desk or table together in regular chairs having a regular conversation that the therapist records can easily be just as effective.

Jungian therapy uses methods such as dreamwork, active imagination, shadowplay, and other techniques to help a person delve deep into their own psyche. Using Jungian Methodology, a psychiatrist will help guide a patient deeper into their self, using a symptom such as depression as a launching point. The journey is often hard, but at the end a person become more aware of themselves, and the depression dissipates.

Contact Dr. William Conti, PhD for help with your depression by calling (213) 880 8262. East West Therapy services the Waikiki, Honolulu, and Oahu areas in Hawaii.