Depression

     Anthony offers professional, sensitive psychotherapy tailored to meet your unique needs. He provides both short and long term psychotherapy utilizing a variety of treatment methods. Treatment may be short-term (six months or less) or long-term depending upon the complexity of your recovery needs and ability to invest in your treatment. 

     Anthony has over 20 years of experience helping clients with relationship difficulties, anxiety disorders, anger management problems, depression,low self-esteem, trauma, and many other issues. He assists each person in developing a life worth living and in coping more effectively with the psychological distress that can impede one's ability to live a satisfying life.
Clinical depression is a medical illness which affects millions of people each year. Though people often get the "blues," clinical depression causes persistent changes in some persons mood, behavior, and feelings. The illness interferes with and disrupts a persons' education, job, family life, etc. No amount of "cheering up" can make it go away nor "toughing it out." No amount of exercise, vitamins, or vacation can make clinical depression disappear. Because clinical depression causes you to view yourself, your environment, and further negatively, people with clinical depression need to get proper treatment which usually includes medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. Cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic therapies have proven effective in treating clinical depression.

     One of the difficulties with having clinical depression is that people often think they are experiencing a low mood that will eventually resolve itself, however, it doesn't. Unlike a broken limb which ceases to function until it mends, the brain continues to function and engage in everyday activities when depressed. During episodes of depression, your ability to see things clearly and problem-solve effectively is diminished which further exacerbates symptoms of depression and prolonging mental illness. Oftentimes, the person suffering from mental illness is unable to recognize how depression is negatively affecting their life without the support of family and friends.

     There are nine symptoms that individuals normally experience when they have clinical depression. A diagnosis is made if a person has five or more of the following symptoms for more than two weeks or there is considerable impairment in normal functioning:

• Feelings of sadness or irritability
• Loss of interest in sex and activities once enjoyed
• Changes of weight or appetite
• Changes in sleeping patterns
• Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless
• Inability to concentrate, remember things, or make decisions
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Restlessness or decreased activity noticed by others
• Thoughts of suicide or death