Depression 101

Man with his head in his hands in a dimly lit room

What is depression? 

Depression can be characterized by loss of interest or pleasure in doing things, feelings of worthlessness, fatigue, sleep disturbances, lack of motivation,  low mood, and/or thoughts of death. These symptoms could impact your ability to function in everyday life. About 1 in 10 people will experience depression at some point in their life, with women being 2x more likely. Some risk factors include family history of depression, poverty, social isolation, trauma, and/or drug and alcohol use. Depression can range in severity and look different for everyone. While symptoms of depression can make you feel hopeless, the good news is that there are many ways to treat depression.

The good news is that there are many ways to treat depression.

Treating Depression

Medication is a common method to treat depression, specifically SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) as they increase the level of serotonin in the brain. Medication is a great tool to use in addition to therapy especially if your symptoms are causing disruption in your daily life. 

Therapy is an effective way to reduce depressive symptoms and understand the root of the depression. Therapy can help you process a recent life stressor, find better ways to cope, develop positive relationships, regain a sense of control and engagement in your life, and identify negative thoughts and behaviors contributing to depression. There are many different modalities proven to be effective but the most empirically supported modality is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This modality helps you identify and change the self-defeating thoughts contributing to your depression.


Depression can be conceptualized as a cycle where symptoms tend to build upon each other. For example one of the key symptoms of depression is lack of motivation. When experiencing this a person is likely to isolate from peers or neglect their daily tasks. Eventually these avoidance behaviors will start to impact your daily functioning which then causes you to feel negatively about yourself and continues to maintain your loss of motivation. Thus creating a vicious cycle of depression. 

One technique used to break this cycle is behavioral activation. The purpose of this technique is to develop positive replacement behaviors that over time create a feeling of pride and satisfaction thus disrupting the depression cycle. Positive replacement behaviors should be easy and rewarding. Once you’ve picked your positive replacement behaviors, starting with the easiest task first, you can create a schedule and plan to implement the new behavior. It may be helpful to discuss possible barriers with your therapist. Each week you can build on your positive behaviors and add new ones thus disrupting the cycle of depression. It’s important to remember that this technique is intended for long term relief.  

Depression can also lead to increased risk for suicide. If you are concerned for your welfare or the welfare of someone you care for, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. You can also call the national suicide crisis line at 988 or visit their website:  988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 

You don’t have to suffer in silence.

Are you or someone you love struggling with depression? You don’t have to suffer in silence. Help is available. Call us at (660) 236-2818 to find a therapist that’s right for you.

Cory Burton, PLPC

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Supporting a loved one with depression

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