The following are questions you should be asked at a minimum prior to a diagnosis of depression and treatment. Are You Depressed? When Gina told her doctor she was feeling depressed, he gave her a screening test that asked about her symptoms: little interest in doing things, feeling depressed or hopeless, sleep problems, lack of […]
When I ask clients what they do for daily relaxation I usually get responses such as: “I relax by watching TV every night”, “I have a glass of wine”, “I read a book”, “I go out with friends”, “I go to the gym and work out”, “I find gardening relaxing”, “I like to fish”. Although each of these activities may be […]
What is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (MCBT)? 1) Cognitive Therapy. First, CBT is a type of treatment that focuses on how you think (cognitive) by examining the accuracy of your thoughts about yourself, others, and the problems you face. Then, when thoughts are found to be an inaccurate appraisal, cognitive therapy helps to change these thoughts by […]
Most of the time parents and spouses of individuals with depressive or anxiety disorders truly want to assist in the treatment. However, sometimes their efforts may interfere due to lack of understanding or due to fears and their own internal pressure to make the situation better. So often family members may have their own irrational […]
Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions or conflicts. Sigmund Freud Emotion training may seem odd to some people: “But it’s what I feel! How can I make myself feel different?” It also seems contrary to the idea that all emotions are valid and okay. On the surface, the method of emotion […]
A serious problem exists with the public’s understanding of depression. The problem occurs because of the clinical term “Major Depression” and the general use of the word “depression.” One of the definitions in the Merriam-Webster dictionary indicates that depression is “a state of feeling sad.” Therefore, the general public typically defines “depression” interchangeably with “sadness” […]
Some of these comments may be well-intentioned but they show a lack of understanding of the nature of depression. The problem is rooted in the use of the word “depression” as a diagnosis. The reason this is a problem is due to the word “depression” also being used by the public to describe a mood […]