Depression Counselors in North Little Rock, AR—Depression Counseling
It’s instinct to feel like you are the only one with issues. When you glance around the room, you see that everyone is smiling or laughing with those next to them. And when you scroll through your social media feeds, all you see is success and happiness. What you don’t see, or what you think you don’t see, is others struggling like you—others struggling with depression. In reality, we all struggle; and there are 300 million other people out there who are struggling with depression just like you.
“The strong individual is the one who asks for help when he needs it.” –Rona Barrett
Depression can make you feel alone. It can make simple tasks feel incredibly difficult, even impossible to complete. It can lead to your missing work or school. It can ruin your social life and your most important relationships. But it doesn’t have to. Fortunately, there is treatment out there for depression: there’s depression counseling.
The counselors at Thriveworks North Little Rock can treat your depression. They’ll customize a treatment plan that will help you to understand and manage your symptoms and ultimately live a happier, healthier life. They have the skills and care to get you there. If you think you could benefit from working with a depression counselor, reach out to Thriveworks North Little Rock.
Am I Depressed? What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you think you might be dealing with depression. But let’s go over some basics, like signs and symptoms of depression. First, it’s important to know that there are different kinds of depression (which warrant different treatment plans). Among these depression types are major depression, minor depression, postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder, and others. These vary in presentation, but there are some common symptoms of depression, including:
- Feelings of intense sadness or despair
- Loss of interest in daily activities (even once beloved activities)
- Major changes in appetite or weight
- Worthlessness or guilt
- Loss of energy
- Changes in sleep (i.e., insomnia)
- Trouble focusing
- Suicidal thoughts or ideation
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms of depression, consider meeting with a depression counselor. They can assess your symptoms and help you understand how you’re feeling. Furthermore, they can help you determine what you need and want out of counseling. They’ll then work with you to design a treatment plan that will best benefit you.
How Can Depression Counseling Help Me?
We’ve already touched on how a depression counselor can help you understand and then manage your depression symptoms—but let’s discuss this further, so you better understand the process. Your journey in counseling will depend on the symptoms you experience, the severity of those symptoms, the cause of your depression, and the exact goals you have for your time in counseling. Therefore, you can expect to discuss all of the above with your counselor in your initial sessions. You can also expect to talk about negative thoughts, of which often play a role in the development or at least the continuation of depressive feelings. Your counselor will help you understand what thoughts are problematic and why, as well as what thoughts will prove more beneficial.
Additionally, your depression counselor will likely discuss the importance of self-care with you. They’ll gage your commitment to practicing self-care and then help you prioritize it accordingly. This will involve finding some activities that you enjoy practicing and that prove beneficial, such as:
- Exercising
- Journaling
- Meditating
- Practicing yoga
- Going to the gym
- Spending more time outside
- Making plans with loved ones
All of these practices can prove valuable. It all depends on what your current priorities are and where you are lacking fulfillment in your life. Don’t worry—you don’t have to figure this out on your own. Your counselor will offer assistance and help you create a self-care plan you’ll enjoy.
Schedule a Depression Counseling Session at Thriveworks North Little Rock
If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, it’s important you meet with a mental health professional to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you begin treatment, the sooner you can learn to manage this illness and heal properly.
All of the providers at Thriveworks North Little Rock are the best of the best. You can trust them to offer you the professional and caring assistance you need to understand and manage your depression. Perhaps more importantly, they can guide you toward an overall happier, more successful life. So, if you think you could benefit from working with a depression counselor, reach out to Thriveworks North Little Rock. All you have to do is give us a call and a scheduling specialist will get you set up with a provider as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you.