Treatment for Depression and
other Mood disorders
Depression is a serious condition that affects approximately one in five people. It is more than feeling sad or upset. Clinical depression is characterised by ongoing symptoms of intense hopelessness, feelings of emptiness, difficulty concentration and chronic issues with motivation. Many who experience depression end up ceasing the activities that once gave pleasure or purpose and start making decisions that drive us away from the people that matter to us.
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We have significant experience in the treatment of depression and other mood disorders. While many psychologists only focus on symptom reduction, we adopt a broader approach and promote the
development of skills and strategies that have long-term results.
Types of Mood Disorders
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Getting caught up in our mind about problems and changing our activities to due to feeling depressed and fatigued can severely interfere with everyday life.
The manner in which mood disorders can affect us varies and here are some of the common issues:
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Major Depression - characterised by a depressed mood lasting several weeks. This may also be referred to as clinical or unipolar depression.
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Bipolar Disorder - characterised by alternating periods of severe depression and manic highs.
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Psychotic Depression - characterised by a depressed mood and symptoms of psychosis, such as visual or auditory hallucinations, paranoia and delusions.
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Dysthymia - characterised by a moderate to mild depressed mood that is ongoing for several months with persistent feelings of flatness or fatigue.
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Mixed Depression and Anxiety - characterised by a combination of symptoms of depression and anxiety where we feel trapped between our worries and our low mood.
How Treatment for Depression Works
Psychological counselling has been clinically proven as a successful way to treat the majority of depression diagnoses with or without medication. Given that our treatments adhere to best practice and modern research, your treatment plan will involve the following key components:
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Psycho-education (e.g., the role and functions of mood, how mood is processed in the brain, how depressive disorders develop, etc.)
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Changing behavioural and thinking patterns (e.g., defuse from unhelpful thoughts, develop emotional regulation skills, learning to use relaxation & breathing skills, mindfulness skills, develop self-worth and confidence, etc.)
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Meaningful goal-setting to promote actions and choices that enrich life and bring us closer to the people we care about.
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Safety management to ensure that we are able to remain resilient to suicidal ideation and avoid actions that harm our lives.
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We understand that seeking psychological support can be a difficult experience and it can feel as though there is no point. As such, please feel welcome to contact us through any medium and our psychologists will be able to answer your questions, have a look through the website and give counselling a chance.
