Monday, February 22, 2016

Depression: A Little Understood Experience

There is a great deal of controversy relating to depression. There are those people among us who do not understand, and convey a "Snap out of it" mode with the moderately to severely depressed; never having experienced it themselves. Depression is, as an earlier responder noted, as valid as cancer or diabetes, though the symptoms, and not the root is the presenting feature with this malady. There are any number of reasons people experience depression, and only some forms of depression are highly treatable. While circumstantial depression is the most common, the genesis may be hormonal, chemical, genetic, or spiritually driven, or related to Post Traumatic Stress. Historically, the typical therapeutic measures involve counseling, medication and, at some level, cognitive-behavioral therapy. As a counselor I am all too aware of the reality of Depression; with a capital D, and the difficulties involved in treating it. In the end, there is hope, and countless people experiencing depression have, ultimately, experienced a significant degree of wellness, though in many cases it has been a very long journey; and with many bumps along the proverbial road.

(William McDonald, PhD)

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