Tag Archive | "depression"

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THE THERAPY ROOM: Summertime Blues

Posted on 18 July 2019 by LeslieM

Do you find yourself depressed during the summer months? Is it difficult for you to manage children being home from school, family visiting or planning your own summer vacation? You are not alone. Many people experience Summertime Blues or Summertime Depression due to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

SAD is a psychological mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year exhibit depressive symptoms at the same time each year. SAD has gained notoriety during the winter months due to the decrease in daylight, but SAD also exists during the summer months and is linked to two factors:

• the light-dark cycle

• temperature and humidity

The following are some triggers that ignite Summertime Blues/SAD:

Sleeping Disorders: Staying up later due to summer days being longer naturally exposes you to more light. This can cause you to not sleep well, or not sleep at all.

Body Image: If you have a negative body image you might avoid going to the beach or engaging in any outdoor activity. Most people feel this from time to time, but those with Summertime Blues/SAD feel it acutely which propels their summertime depression even more.

Daily Routine Disruptions: I explain to many of my psychotherapy patients who suffer from SAD that having a consistent and reliable routine is key to managing and reducing symptoms. It is very important to try to maintain a consistent sleeping, eating and exercise routine during the summer months.

Financial Stress: Vacations, family gatherings, socializing with friends, summer camps, etc. can create an exhaustive list of costs. This can be challenging for those with SAD and trying to follow a budget can be stressful.

Tips to help you better cope with Summertime Blues/SAD:

Sleep: Make sure you rest and get enough sleep during the summer months. Contact your physician to discuss ways to help stabilize your melatonin levels.

Time Management: It is important to try to set a consistent routine during the summer months. Do not aim for creating a perfect schedule — just one that you can follow and adjust as needed. This will make you feel in control of what is happening around you.

Delegate: One of my psychotherapy patients expressed to me that she was overwhelmed with a heavy workload as a corporate accountant and was cleaning her house and cooking more for her family during the summer months. We worked towards her delegating more chores at home to her older children who were on summer break and asking her manager for help with some of her accounting tasks. It is important to ask for help when it is needed to prevent being overwhelmed or depressed.

Psychotherapy can also work wonders for those dealing with Summertime Blues and even help to reverse SAD. Remember that change is always possible!

Dr. Julia Breur is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private clinical psychotherapy practice in Boca Raton. For more information, call 561-512-8545, e-mail info@drjuliabreur.com or visit www.drjuliabreur.com.

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THE THERAPY ROOM: Surviving loneliness during the holidays

Posted on 19 December 2018 by LeslieM

In therapy, a female patient of mine has been discussing the depression she has been experiencing since her mother’s death. Her mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and died within a short three month period. We have been able to reflect on her mother’s life and the close relationship they shared. This week, the same patient told me her depression reached new heights. She finds herself thinking obsessively about how lonely she will be this holiday season without her mother. She has been crying excessively and even called in sick to her employer.

The holiday season is a time of celebration, joy, reflection, hope and love for many people. It is also a time of loneliness for many other individuals. It can be a time when people feel emotional distance from acquaintances or relatives. Be cautious of that feeling of loneliness further developing into depression and/or isolation.

Rethink expectations:

Loneliness can develop with thoughts relating to the absence of a romantic partner or not having a big family holiday gathering, and such thoughts rarely seem as uncomfortable as they do during holiday periods. We are supposed to be invited to spectacular holiday parties and enjoy gift exchanges. Very few lifestyles compare to what magazines, cable television shows and movies project. If you rethink your expectations, you can alleviate loneliness by inviting a good friend or relative to dinner versus wishing for a romantic dinner. Seeing the good in a difficult family member and showing them kindness can also help some individuals be relieved of loneliness.

Connect with others:

You can feel lonely even in a crowded room of people, but it is harder to continue to feel lonely in that room of people if you reach out to them. Whether you say hello to a neighbor you normally do not take time to say hello to or direct message a friend, versus just liking their recent social media posting, reaching out and connecting with others is a solution for loneliness.

Attitude of gratitude:

My patient also told me during her therapy session she realizes that she is distancing herself from her co-workers and calling in sick to avoid any interactions with them. She said she is grateful for her co-workers and she must express her gratitude for all their understanding and kindness since her mother’s death. I suggested she maintain a gratitude journal. This exercise will help her to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and provide a written record of what she values to read and re-read anytime she feels sad, depressed or lonely.

Self examination:

If you feel lonely, it may be a cue for change. Talk to a professional about how you feel; this can often be more helpful than people expect. Change is possible!

Dr. Julia Breur is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private clinical psychotherapy practice in Boca Raton. Further information is available at www.drjuliabreur.com.

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THE THERAPY ROOM: How to help someone with depression

Posted on 15 August 2018 by LeslieM

There is help for individuals and families to recognize and cope with depression, including major depression or dysthymia, and manic depression or bipolar disorder. We must provide better knowledge to those who suffer with depression in order to get proper help and to prevent any suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), depression is a serious and treatable medical condition that affects almost 18 million Americans a year. Everyone gets sad, but depression and sadness are different. When an individual is sad, depressed or irritable for at least two weeks, it can be a sign of clinical depression. Depression does not discriminate and it causes suffering not only to an individual but to that individual’s family, co-workers and friends. There is good news and that is depression is treatable and relief can be experienced within weeks or months.

Many factors cause depression and include a chemical imbalance of mood regulation in the brain, genetics, substance abuse, illness and life events. Whatever the cause, depression needs treatment. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), one half of people with depression get treatment, but only one third of people with depression get treatment that helps. We need to understand depression, what good treatment looks like and how to monitor the treatment so it works.

Depression can be hard to recognize because every person is unique and has different feelings. Some feel sad; some are quiet and others become withdrawn and anti-social. Many of my patients have told me during a psychotherapy session that they feel anxious, lonely, full of fear and empty.

Symptoms for depression:

Persistently sad, empty or irritable mood

Reduced interest and pleasure in doing things

Tired, trouble falling or staying asleep or sleeping too much

Lack of appetite or overeating

Medically unexplained aches and pains

Abusing drugs or alcohol

Wanting to hurt self or thoughts of suicide

Symptoms for bipolar disorder or manic depression:

(when not in a depressive state):

Increased energy with decreased need for sleep without feeling tired

Severe and sudden changes in mood

Increased talking

Impulsive behavior

Difficulty concentrating

The initial step to help someone with depression is a clinical evaluation. A licensed clinician will be able to differentiate normal episodes of sadness from depression. The clinician will recommend a physical examination by a healthcare provider to rule out thyroid conditions, hormonal imbalances and viral infections that can cause symptoms of depression. A psychosocial evaluation is also important to detail a patient’s depression and discuss any alcohol or drug use, any suicidal thoughts, family history of depression and home/school/work life.

Finding the right clinician to help you or a loved one with depression can be challenging. Be selective. A clinician should be available to answer questions and provide care. As a licensed clinical psychotherapist, I offer complimentary, brief phone or office consultations to discuss such matters. Please visit my website www.drjuliabreur.com for contact information.

Dr. Julia Breur is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private clinical psychotherapy practice in Boca Raton. Further information available at www.drjuliabreur.com.

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CLERGY CORNER: The Quest for Peace

Posted on 28 June 2018 by LeslieM

The recent high profile deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain have put a renewed spotlight on depression and its connection to mental illness. In the wake of their suicides, it was revealed that both of them were battling depression compounded by an inability to overcome it. It is reported that major depression is a mental illness that affects more than 16 million adults every year. More concerning in is the fact that half of those affected never seek treatment for depression. We should encourage those who seem unable to emerge from the gloom and sadness that threatens all of us to seek a professional counselor for the help that they need. Modern medicines have been developed to adequately address the brain’s malfunctions and help people to enjoy a normal life.

Mental illness is only one side of the issue of depression. However, far too many people are succumbing to depression due to an inability to properly manage their emotions when life becomes overwhelming. It’s not that they are mentally deficient, but that they’ve bought into the idea that money, fame, possessions or achievement will give them satisfaction. The pressure to have more, to accomplish unrealistic expectations or to simply keep up with the proverbial “Joneses” is a never ending treadmill. Worry, anxiety and frustration will push one over the edge if not tempered by a realistic perspective and proper priorities. When what we can have or accomplish becomes our sole purpose for existence. We set ourselves up for discouragement when they fail to satisfy. Someone once remarked that Alexander the Great died in discouragement, having no more kingdoms to conquer.

We have a natural inclination toward a peaceful, balanced existence free from conflict and disorder. Maturity means that we are able to enjoy the good in life, survive and learn from the bad, and to realize that adversity and pain are as likely as joy and comfort. A good mental disposition helps us to navigate the varying landscapes of our progress through life. The peace that seems elusive is possible with the proper attitude and perspective. Isaiah 26:3 offers the Biblical approach to attaining true peace. “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

First, note that God is the primary agent in the verse. Three times, He is referenced as the object around which the action is centered. He both supplies and maintains peace for those who set their minds on Him and trust Him. Next, man is the primary beneficiary. He is the one upon whom God graciously bestows the gift of peace. God makes available what man cannot attain on his own: true peace, perfect peace or peace-peace, as written in the original Hebrew text. The apostle Paul characterizes it “as a peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Then, the verse reveals that peace is the primary benefit. Among the many things we seek and desire, peace is paramount. We learn very quickly in life how weak and vulnerable we are. We lack complete control of our existence and are subject to circumstances beyond our control. Peace with God is necessary to finding peace with others and with ourselves. Thankfully, God gives us peace when we subject our thoughts, minds and lives to Him. Finally, trust is the primary condition that makes peace possible. The ability to believe, to have faith in and to rely upon God is required to access His gift of peace. When we give up control of our lives and turn to Him in humble faith, we have the assurance of divine assistance. God, not ourselves, must be placed at the center of our universe. Only then will we avoid the chaos, frustration and depression that follow a narcissistic and selfish existence. In this world of uncertainty and turmoil, look to God and embrace His perfect peace.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

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The Therapy Room: Winter Holiday Survival Tips for Anxiety and Depression

Posted on 21 December 2017 by LeslieM

The Therapy Room: Winter Holiday Survival Tips for Anxiety and Depression

The winter holidays cause many to experience unwanted stress, anxiety and depression. Many factors trigger such reactions and include unrealistic expectations of self and others, financial pressures, making too many commitments to family, co-workers and friends, and, sometimes, even focusing on the inability to be with those you believe you would prefer to be with.

Certain individuals feel anxious or depressed around the winter holidays due to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is also referred to as seasonal depression. SAD is a kind of depression that tends to occur as daylight grows shorter in the fall and winter months and, therefore, is a result of inadequate exposure to sunlight.

The symptoms of SAD include tiredness, fatigue, sadness, irritability, poor concentration, muscular pain, insomnia, appetite changes, excessive alcohol consumption, social isolation and loneliness. Lifestyle changes that are proven to decrease SAD symptoms include spending more time outdoors, exercising and maintaining healthy eating habits. Psychotherapy, light therapy, acupuncture and medications are additional options to consider to decrease SAD symptoms.

Organizing and balancing the demands of holiday gifts and food shopping, family obligations, social gathering events and even house guests contribute to feelings of stress, anxiety, being overwhelmed and increased tension.

If someone dismisses depression, they may actually develop stress responses and experience physical and emotional symptoms, such as headaches, over-eating, insomnia or excessive alcohol consumption. Some individuals also experience anxiety and depression after the New Year due to high expectations leading to extreme disappointments.

Many of us think about loved ones who have passed away during the winter holidays. Love does not end in death and it is important that we keep such loved ones alive by the way we live. Include memories of them during your holiday gatherings and celebration by decorating a wreath with items that remind you of them, display happy memory pictures, make their favorite dish for your family and friends to enjoy, or light a candle and reflect on the light they continue to bring to your life.

For those suffering from winter holiday anxiety or depression, benefits may be realized by increasing social support, asking for help and sharing family holiday responsibilities, such as food shopping and preparation, maintaining a budget for gift purchases and making, and taking, time to relax. Psychotherapy and support groups can help you gain insight into your holiday blues, relieve stress and bring a layer of needed social support.

Tips to prevent stress, anxiety and depression during the winter holidays:

Set realistic goals and make realistic expectations

Do not take on more responsibilities than you can manage — delegate!

Do not set yourself up for disappointment and sadness

Volunteer and help others — you will be helping yourself as well!

Limit or do not drink alcohol — excessive alcohol consumption increases feelings of depression

Reach out and make new friends — spend time with supportive people

Winter holidays bring anxiety and depression into many lives and can be managed by implementing the above tips. Also consider seeking individual psychotherapy or group support if these symptoms become overwhelming and too much of a burden. This winter holiday season make time for yourself and consider doing something new — change is possible!

Dr. Julia Breur, Ph. D., LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a private clinical psychotherapy practice in Boca Raton, Florida. Further information available at www.drjuliabreur.com.

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