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Support and Treatment for Depression
Depression is more than just feeling sad. It’s a biological state that can involve feelings of low energy, low motivation, social withdrawal, no longer enjoying previously fun activities, irritability, or thoughts about death. When left untreated, depression can impact us in many areas of our lives and affect our self-esteem, relationships, and work. If you notice the signs and symptoms of depression in yourself or a loved one, please remember that you’re not alone and that there are many effective treatment options for depression in Melbourne. Our team of psychologists are highly experienced in a range of different approaches and can help you overcome depression using evidence-based treatment for depression.
What is Depression?
Depression is more than just feeling sad. It can be a sense of numbness, emptiness, or hopelessness that stays with us for long periods of time.
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Depression can make us see the world through a dark lens – things seem harder, our resources seem lower, and there is an absence of joy. Because of this, depression saps our energy, motivation, or sex drive. It can and makes us want to withdraw from our relationships and disconnect from things we enjoyed doing before. We may comfort eat, lose our appetite, might have trouble sleeping or only want to sleep.
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People will experience depression differently so it's important to seek support from a health professional when you or a loved one might be experiencing any of these symptoms.
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How many people are affected by Depression?
The 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing found that 1 in 7 Australians will experience depression at some stage in their life and that at the time of the survey, 1 in 16 Australians were experiencing depression.
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Given that depression is one of the most common mental disorders, it is important to understand the signs and symptoms so that we can prevent depression from progressing.
What are the signs and symptoms for Depression?
It's really important to keep in mind that the signs and symptoms of depression are different for everyone, as we all have different experiences and ways of coping. For some, the signs can be more noticeable to other people, and, for others, the signs can also be much more subtle. These signs can vary in frequency, intensity, and duration, so it's important ​to not self-diagnose and to reach out to a professional if you notice some of these signs below.
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If you notice some of the signs here, please remember that you're not alone and that effective and evidence-based treatment for depression starts with a conversation with your GP or a psychologist. Common signs and symptoms of depression can include:
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Sadness that doesn't go away, lasts for longer than expected, or constantly feeling down.
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Constantly feeling overwhelmed and behind.
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Feelings of hopelessness, numbness, or low self-worth.
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Losing interest in everyday activities, including things that used to be fun (like hobbies, spending time with friends etc.)
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Feeling constantly tired and fatigued even after sleeping. Feeling like you constantly want to nap.
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Strong feelings of guilt, worthlessness, self-blame and beating yourself up (even when it doesn't make sense to be doing so).
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Finding it harder and harder to concentrate.
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Struggling to make decisions and having decision paralysis on everyday choices.
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Changes in your appetite and eating.
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Withdrawing from your friends and family, and feeling more isolated and disconnected from other people.
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Constantly comparing yourself to other people or your past self and feeling hopeless about the future.
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Having thoughts about death and suicide.
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If you notice that depression is getting in the way and causing you to feel overwhelmed and stuck, please remember that support is out there. Our team of psychologists are trained in a range of evidence-based treatments for depression in Melbourne. Our depression treatment options can equip you with the skills and strategies to help you overcome depression in a safe, sustainable, and evidence-based way.
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How can a psychologist help with treatment for Depression?
Sometimes it might be hard to talk to your family and friends about the distressing thoughts and feelings you've been experiencing. You might struggle to be vulnerable with them for fear that you'll worry them or "be a burden". You might be scared that they won't understand and just tell you to stop thinking that way and instead to "think positive".
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A psychologist trained in treatment for depression can help by making sure you don't walk this journey alone. We listen to and validate your experiences and use evidence-based treatments to help you overcome depression in a safe, collaborative, and sustainable way.
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As everyone's experience of depression will be different, it's really important to keep in mind that we don't apply a one size fits all approach to managing and treating depression. In general, working with a psychologist on treatment for depression can involve:
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Identifying and building our awareness of our depression triggers and coping strategies.
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Challenging and disrupting any unhelpful thoughts patterns and behaviours that can cause us to become (and also keep us) stuck.
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Learning alternate skills and strategies to help us break out of depression.
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Navigating and proactively managing the factors that contributed to depression in the first place (e.g. prevention strategies, self-care, processing trauma).
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Our team of experienced psychologists are just a phone call away to help support you to overcome depression in a safe, collaborative, and evidence-based way. To learn more, or if you feel ready to reach out, please contact us here.
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What to expect when working with a psychologist for Depression?
There are a number of different psychological therapies that have been found by research to help effectively treat and manage depression. These include therapies such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), trauma focused therapies such as Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and many more.
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Your psychologist may also draw on a range of other evidence-based therapies for depression and combine techniques from each approach, such as techniques from Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Schema Therapy, or other therapeutic approaches depending on your situation.
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Clients who work with a psychologist trained in treatment for depression will often learn skills and coping strategies to proactively manage and overcome depression, and to try to prevent depression from happening again in the future.
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Your psychologist will work closely with you and your healthcare team to understand your situation and create a treatment plan that is specific to you and your situation. This will always be done in a collaborative, safe, and evidence-based way to help you overcome depression and to achieve your goals.
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Ready to get started?
Depression is a common mental health condition that impacts many Australians' day-to-day lives. There are many effective ways to treat depression which all start with having a conversation with your GP or Psychologist. If you notice any of these signs, please remember that you don't have to go it alone.
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​For more information or to book an appointment with one of our experienced Psychologists, call the team at Reimagine Psychology Melbourne on (03) 8330 5588 or email us on hello@reimaginepsychology.melbourne.