Depression Treatment

Depression can feel like a long, difficult journey, like a dark hole we can’t crawl out of. For some, depression may be a continuous low mood throughout their life and for others, depression can look more immediate and sudden. Many Canadians may also notice their moods change with the seasons due to lack of daylight hours and Vitamin D. This is known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Mild depression is common for many. You may not feel depressed all the time. People may struggle with a depressive episode and then feel for a brief time, better. However, depression may also feel more intense. Think about what could be impacting a depressive episode. Could it be due to a life experience that’s causing great pain such as a recent loss or medical illness? A recent change in your life? Work stress? New drug administration such as birth control pills? Starting other medications?

 There can be a lot of environmental factors that impact our mental health and increase depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms may look like fatigue, a felt sense of numbness, decrease or increase in appetite, weight gain, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, decision fatigue, a felt sense of feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, suicide symptoms, increased irritability, anxiety symptoms, loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, sleeping too much and still not feeling rested or not sleeping much at all, chronic and severe irritability.

​If you are experiencing severe symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention immediately - call 911 or go to your nearest emergency hospital.

The Types of Depression

Persistent depressive disorder, also called dysthymia, is a continuous long-term and chronic form of depression. Persistent depressive disorder may significantly impact your interpersonal relationships, school, work, and daily activities, making it hard to function day to day. Extreme depression can result in psychotic depression. In this case, people may be experiencing such severe depression that it includes some form of psychosis, such as hallucinations, delusions, or other breaks with reality.

Other forms of depression are perinatal depression and postpartum depression. Perinatal depression occurs before the baby is born and postpartum depression can occur after the baby is born. Hormones during pregnancy can be like being on a roller coaster of emotions. It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of women will develop a mood disorder during or after pregnancy.

Another type of depression can be premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe, sometimes disabling extension of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMDD can cause extreme mood swings, anxiety, irritability, anger, sadness, and hopelessness and usually occurs between 7 to 10 days before your period.

Depression likes to tell you that you are alone in how you are feeling. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. If any of this feels relatable to you, you may want to seek support with a mental health professional. At Alberta Mental Health, we are here to help you reduce symptoms of depression. Contact us now.

Do You Have Persistent Depressive Disorder?

The most common form is major depression disorder, affecting millions of adults in North America alone. While major depressive disorder may come in cycles, with the person feeling symptom-free at times, Persistent Depressive Disorder is a long-term form of depression with depression symptoms lasting for years. It is the timing and consistency of these mild to severe symptoms which distinguish the two mood disorders. 

In order to be diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder, a person must report having had it for at least two years in a manner where the depression affects their outlook on life constantly, colouring their outlook on life entirely. 

In general, symptoms of persistent depressive disorder are on the more mild side, coming about in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. However, these symptoms may appear mild to the person due to the constant existence of the medical condition. In essence, even severe symptoms can be normalized. It is even possible that an individual falls into an episode of major depression before reverting back to their normal depressive state classified as persistent depressive disorder. 

Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder and Persistent Depressive Disorder:

  • Feeling Irritable, mood swings

  • Either a lack of appetite or overeating

  • Either lack of ability to sleep or over sleeping

  • Fatigue, low energy

  • Low self esteem

  • Trouble concentrating or making decisions

  • Feelings of hopelessness

  • Either a depressed mood lasting in waves or constant state of depression

  • Less interest or pleasure in most or all activities

  • Feeling worthless or guilty

  • Unintentionally losing or gaining a significant amount of weight

  • Suicidal symptoms

Treating depression with a mental health professional is now even more accessible with online therapy. Learn more.

What depression treatment is best for major depressive disorder?

Because there are so many variations of mood disorders - ranging from bipolar disorder to perinatal depression- it is imperative that a mental health professional help you to understand your mental illness further. This may also include a referral to a psychiatrist for further assessment and diagnosis.

A therapist may use any combination of talk therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, or EMDR (using bilateral brain stimulation therapies) in supporting you in breaking free of depression. Other depression treatment options in therapy may include progressive muscle relaxation, vagus nerve stimulation to treat major depressive disorder. Treatment options are centred around your individual needs, which is why speaking with a therapist as soon as you feel comfortable to do so is critical for improving any medical conditions.

Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Right For You?

Regardless of your diagnosis, whether you are struggling with clinical depression, bipolar disorder, persistent depressive disorder, or a major depressive disorder, therapy can be supportive. Metanoia Mental Health therapists work to identify the specific negative thought patterns and behavioural responses embedded for you, and to help you break these cycles you are feeling stuck in.

What Types of Therapy Are Helpful
For Depression?

When it comes to treating depression, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. However, there are a number of different types of therapy that can be helpful for those struggling with this condition.

  • Solution Focused Therapy
    Commonly used for Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Self Esteem, Personal stress and work related stress, Relationship Concerns and Emotional Dysregulation.

  • Person Centered Therapy
    Commonly used for Grief and loss, Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Stress, Abuse, Self Esteem, Self worth, Career Counselling, Relationships, Panic and Personality Disorders.

  • Emotion Focused Therapy
    Commonly used for Anxiety Disorders, Personality Disorders, Depression, PTSD, Couples Therapy and Building Healthier relationships.

  • Talk Therapy

Treatments for depression include:

  • EMDR (Brain stimulation therapy)
    Commonly used for PTSD, Trauma, Anxiety Disorder, Depression and Phobias.

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
    Commonly used for Anxiety Disorders, Personality Disorders, mood disorders, Eating Disorders, Self Harm, Suicidal Behaviour, Phobias, Sleep Disorders and trouble sleeping, OCD, Motivation, ADHD, Panic, Emotional Dysregulation, Bipolar and Depression.

  • Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
    Commonly used for Borderline Personality Disorder, Anxiety, Clinical Depression (Any Mood Disorder), Trauma, Suicidal Behaviour, Self Harm, PTSD, Eating Disorders, Motivation, Panic, Emotional Dysregulation, Bipolar Disorder and Interpersonal Therapy.

How can counselling help you relieve symptoms of depression?

While depression can be difficult to manage, counselling can help. A trained counsellor can provide support and guidance as you work to identify the root cause of your depression and develop healthy coping mechanisms. They can also help you to understand your thoughts and feelings, and develop new perspectives on your experiences. With time and effort, counselling can help you to relief symptoms of depression and improve your overall wellbeing.

A few things counselling can help you achieve:

  • Break goals down into smaller steps

  • Help you build motivation and strength

  • Support you with other mental disorders such as anxiety disorders as they are closely linked with depression

  • Build coping skills - mindfulness strategies, progressive muscle relaxation

  • Vagus Nerve stimulation

  • Explore underlying causes that could be contributing to how you are feeling

  • Challenge automatic thought patterns that continue to perpetuate the cycle of depression 

  • Guide you in creating more connection and support in your life

  • Navigate your emotions more effectively

  • Connecting you with other professionals in the community to explore other possible medical illnesses or medical condition that could be impacting how you experience depression. This may result in a doctor recommending other treatment options such as antidepressant medications. Sometimes, it is a matter of your brain chemistry that is off and causing a mental illness.

Find a therapist

  • Brianne Erichsen

    BSW, MC, RCSW

    Read Bio

  • Deborah Flowers

    CCC, M.C., B.ED

    READ BIO

Questions before getting started?
Get in touch.