14 Jul Identifying Signs of Depression and Treatment Options
What is depression?
Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness, low mood, or loss of interest in everyday activities. It can affect your work, relationships, and overall quality of life. Many people describe it as a constant cloud or heaviness that impacts their motivation, thinking patterns, and emotional well-being.
While it’s normal to feel down from time to time, depression lasts longer and significantly interferes with daily life. If you’ve found yourself withdrawing from friends or family, feeling disconnected or emotionally flat, or struggling to get out of bed in the morning, seeking psychological services from a clinical psychologist near me or exploring online therapy in Australia might be the next step.
What Does Treatment for Depression with a Psychologist Look Like?
You might be reading this blog while searching for therapy near me, online counselling services, or wondering if it’s time to connect with a registered psychologist for support. At our Melbourne psychology clinic, our team of psychologists in clinical practice understand how overwhelming it can feel to take the first step toward therapy. Whether you’re struggling with grief and loss, social anxiety, or panic attacks, you’re not alone.
A few key questions might help you reflect:
- Are you experiencing sadness, feeling down, depressed, or irritable?
- Have you experienced a loss of interest in your usual interests or hobbies?
- Lost interest in seeing friends or going out for dinner on the weekend?
- Are you experiencing a loss of pleasure in most activities?
- Finding it hard to feel motivated to get out of bed in the morning?
- Find yourself calling in sick from school, work or uni?
- Do you feel exhausted, withdrawn or like you’re not yourself?
Often it starts by noticing the depressed mood is more than 1-2 days of the week, but rather feeling consistently down for 2 weeks or even more. When feeling down, you could notice it has caused significant trouble feeling connected with your friends, or perhaps family members, work colleagues or even school.
It can be tricky to differentiate between a “bad patch” and depression, therefore, we discuss some symptoms that are common with depression. This is by no means a way to self-diagnose, but rather a way to identify where professional support with a Psychologist will be of assistance for you or a loved one. The Australian Psychological Society (APS) discusses some of the causes of depression in an article (click here).
If you said yes to many of the above experiences, you may be experiencing symptoms of depression. CBT professionals psychology clinic can offer support through tailored cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)—an evidence-based approach for managing depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
What Are The Causes & Signs of Depression?
- Genetic factors
- Biological imbalances
- Stressful life events (e.g. grief, trauma)
- Negative core beliefs and thought patterns
Typical Symptoms of Depression:
- Feeling hopeless or worthless
- Sleep disturbances
- Loss of motivation or pleasure
- Changes in appetite or energy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
You may feel stuck, like you can’t escape the persistent fog. This is where a psychologist in Melbourne, or online therapist, can help guide you gently toward relief and understanding.
Warning Signs of Depression:
Do you identify with the following most days of the week?
- Sad or down in the dumps
- Discouraged or hopeless
- Low self-esteem, inferiority, and worthlessness
- Loss of motivation to do things
- Loss of pleasure or satisfaction in life
- Feeling constant irritability
- Withdrawal from others or creating distance
- Shift in your behaviour
- Irritability and increased snappiness with those close to you
- Loss of temper, being more reactive to daily triggers
What Are Other Common Symptoms of Depression?
A few symptoms we can expect to notice are changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, daily behaviour and/or self-esteem. Depression can also be associated with thoughts of suicide. You may find yourself feeling hopeless and losing sight of the purpose. You may have lost sight of the light at the end of the tunnel and therefore feel it would be easier if you were just not here. Some describe feeling as though they are a burden or hindrance to others and believe that nothing is going to change. Often with depression, it is just too challenging to see the light at the end of the tunnel and experience a constant battle with your inner critical voice and let us not forget the severe lack of motivation.
What is Evidence-Based Therapy Treatment for Depression?
A little bit of understanding of what to expect when seeing a Psychologist in terms of one technique. One proven approach for depression is cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy has been proven to significantly improve your mood, self-esteem, and relationships.
In particular, one of the most effective forms of depression treatment is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). At our Armadale psychology clinic, our cognitive behavioural therapists help individuals to identify and reframe unhelpful thinking styles. CBT supports individuals in recognising that it’s not just the events in our lives, but how we interpret them, that influences our emotional responses.
This process of re-wiring thoughts helps you:
- Improve your mood and self-esteem
- Feel more connected in your relationships
- Manage negative thoughts and inner criticism
- Regain a sense of direction and purpose
What Other Psychological Treatment Options for Depression Exist?
The most effective psychological treatments for depression are shown to be cognitive behavioural therapy, problem-solving therapy, behavioural activation and interpersonal psychotherapy. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy has also been shown to be effective in preventing future periods of depression in individuals who have previously experienced depression. Schema therapy is effective for deeper ingrained beliefs that maintain feelings of low self-worth and symptoms of depression.
Summary Of Effective Therapies:
- Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)
- Behavioural activation
- Mindfulness-based CBT
- Problem-solving therapy
- Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for those with emotional dysregulation
Many clients also explore online therapy or telehealth counselling, which provides flexibility and accessibility across Australia. Whether you’re looking for a trauma therapist near me, grief psychologist, or eating disorder specialist, therapy can be life-changing.
Read more on the Australian Psychological Society website (click here). Talk therapy and a combination of talk therapy and medication are the usual treatment options the GP provides for depression.
The Main Principles of CBT:
Our emotions, both positive and negative, are not determined by the events in our lives, but rather by our interpretations and thoughts about these events. Depression and anxiety often stem from distorted and irrational thinking patterns. It’s important to recognise that our internal narratives are not always accurate reflections of reality; they are beliefs and assumptions rather than objective truths. By altering our thought processes, we have the power to transform our emotions, often without the need for medication. Changing the way we perceive situations can significantly impact how we feel, offering a powerful tool for emotional well-being.
At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, we help to increase your overall level of insight into thoughts that maintain your persistent low mood. Once identify these patterns, we start to explore a range of strategies and tools collaboratively and in a nurturing environment, to see if we can shift unhelpful thought patterns that maintain the depressed mood.
How Does Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Help?
Perhaps you have noticed you view yourself and others in the world around you through a negative lens. Perhaps find it impossible to notice much positivity around you. Maybe quick to disqualify any positive comments that others may say, “You look nice today”, or “Good job” and really only notice the negative things throughout our day.
CBT helps shift these automatic negative thoughts toward more balanced and helpful perspectives. Often this is described as ‘re-wiring the brain’ in terms of our automatic thoughts. Working with a psychologist for depression treatment allows you to break out of these cycles and move toward a more peaceful mind.
If you’re searching for therapy for social anxiety, binge eating disorder treatment, or grief counselling near me, CBT may also be part of your healing journey. Our team of psychologists provide support for a range of difficulties that may co-occur alongside symptoms of depression.
Get your free eBook Improving Your Mood: 10 Strategies Over 10 Weeks, which provides useful information on proven depression treatment techniques (click here).
How Can Positive Wellbeing Psychology Help?
At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, our experienced Melbourne psychologists have a special interest in depression treatment, fostering healthy self-esteem, and nurturing healthier relationships. Our psychologists guide individuals to better understand the intricate dynamics of life changes that contribute to persistently low mood and symptoms of depression, adopting evidence-based therapy approaches.
Our team of Melbourne psychologists have a strong focus on:
- Treating depression and anxiety at work
- Supporting individuals with grief and loss
- Helping you manage social anxiety disorder
- Providing online counselling in Australia
- Supporting recovery from eating disorders and binge eating
Our psychologists provide therapy via telehealth or in-person sessions and bring warmth, compassion, and evidence-based approaches to help you move forward.
What If I Need Immediate Support?
If you find yourself thinking of harming yourself, it is important to reach out for immediate support by phoning the following free 24-hour helplines. We also recommend seeing your GP today for an appointment to discuss a safety plan.
- Lifeline on 13 11 14
- Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
- Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
- If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of harm, please call 000 as a matter of emergency.
If you are not at immediate risk of harming yourself but want to explore additional supports to improve your mood, you may benefit from making an appointment with one of our registered psychologists today.
How To Take The First Step?
Our psychology clinic in leafy Armadale offers support for a range of concerns including childhood trauma, panic attacks, eating disorders, grief, and low self-esteem. Whether you’re looking for a trauma-informed psychologist, online therapy Australia, or a behavioural psychologist, we’re here to help.
Make a booking with a registered psychologist at Positive Wellbeing Psychology today and begin your journey toward emotional clarity and inner peace.