Counseling for depression in Farmington Hills, MI. Treatment for depression.

What is Depression?
Depression is something that affects many Americans each year. It is classified as a mood disorder which means that disturbance in mood is its predominant feature. Depression can affect one’s mood, physical functioning, and social functioning. Many people have difficulty differentiating between depression and sadness. Sadness is something that is very short-term and does not usually affect one’s daily life or normal functioning. Depression usually lasts at least two weeks and can last up to years at a time if it is not treated. Treating depression as soon as it is recognized is much more advantageous than waiting until the symptoms are exacerbated and more difficult to control.

Signs of Depression:
(These signs would occur most of the day, almost every day to be considered depression)

Depressed mood or irritable mood.
Lack of interest or pleasure from any or all activities.
Significant weight loss or weight gain. Similarly, increased or decreased appetite.
Inability to sleep (insomnia). Sleeping too much (hypersomnia).
Fatigue or loss of energy.
Excessive feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
Inability to think clearly or concentrate.
Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

Causes of Depression:
One of the most important things to learn about depression is to figure out what caused it. My approach is to help the client find the root of their depression. That way the root of the problem can be treated and not just the symptoms. There are many different causes of depression and the causes are unique to each individual. One person may be depressed because they were just diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and another person may be depressed because of marital strife. The causes of depression can be limitless. Listed below are just some of the basic causes.

Difficult life transitions. (getting divorced, losing a job, becoming a parent, etc.)
Substance abuse/chemical dependency.
Medical conditions. (hypothyroidism, stroke, cancer, etc.)
Bereavement/death of a loved one.
Poor diet/lack of exercise.

My Approach to Treating Depression
     As I stated above, my approach to treating depression involves helping the client find the root of their depression. Finding the root is important for at least two reasons; first, it enables the counselor and the client to find the problem and fix it and secondly, it can be helpful in preventing the depression from occurring again. This approach is effective because the problem itself is being treated, not just the symptoms of depression. This is one reason why counseling is so effective in helping people to treat depression.

Train your brain: I also teach people how to train their brain. This may sound a little unorthodox but, the brain is a very powerful and complex organ and people must learn to use it the right way. You have heard the old saying, “My mind is playing tricks on me”. It is true; the mind can play tricks on people, which is why people have to learn to control their brain rather than letting their brain control them.
     Neurotransmitters are chemicals in the brain that produce emotional responses. They combine to produce certain moods or feelings. While there are several different neurotransmitters, the most researched one is called Serotonin. As far as modern science can tell, Serotonin is related to depression as well as many other mental health problems. Serotonin, like all the other neurotransmitters, has normal levels. Depression can occur when Serotonin levels become low.
     There are several ways to increase Serotonin levels in the brain. The most common way is to take medications called antidepressants. There are several forms of antidepressants but, the most common form is called an SSRI. (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor). Without getting too technical, these SSRI’s increase and regulate the Serotonin levels in the brain in an attempt to alleviate depression. While antidepressants are known to help people feel less depressed, they can come with many side effects. Antidepressants also do not work on solving the root of the depression unless the depression is strictly a chemical problem in the brain.

     Many people do not know that there are other ways to increase Serotonin levels in the brain without taking medication. Some of these include:

Regular exercise: regular exercise that gets your heart pumping and your blood flowing will help increase the production of Serotonin.
Diet: believe it or not, the types of foods, vitamins and minerals you consume can affect your Serotonin levels and therefore the way you feel. Carbohydrate rich foods such as oats, whole wheat, and bananas help your body to produce Serotonin.
Counseling/therapy: Several research studies have found that Serotonin levels can be increased when people attend counseling or therapy alone without taking antidepressants or other psychiatric medications.

The fact that Serotonin levels can be increased by going to counseling alone proves that people have control over their brain and their emotions. If humans were unable to control the neurotransmitters in their brain, which produce moods, humans would have no control over the way they react to a situation, they would have no control over their own feelings. We all know that this is not the case. Humans are capable of controlling their moods and emotions. For instance, Bob could be extremely happy that he just got a job promotion and as soon as he gets home to find his wife with another man, his mood changes instantly.
I work with getting people to learn that they can control their brains along with their thoughts and emotions and then I show them ways in which to do it. Once people can learn to control their thoughts and emotions, they can learn to control their overall lives more effectively. Keep in mind that this is not an easy process and that it takes time, effort, and patience on the part of the client in order to achieve results.