What is Depression?
Many people use the word depression to describe life’s challenging moments that are filled with sadness and downswings in mood. Depression is much more than sadness. Some people describe depression as “living in a dark hole” or having a feeling of “impending doom”. However, some depressed people may feel lifeless, empty, and apathetic, or may even feel angry, aggressive, and restless.
Whatever the symptoms, depression is different from normal sadness in that it engulfs your day-to-day life, interfering with your self-care, ability to work, ability to have fun, and to show up for your relationships. The feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness are present with little to no hope of things getting better.
Often individuals who are depressed become love avoidant in their relationships. It is too hard to simply “show up” therefore making intimate relationships fall apart.
At Five Sisters Ranch we help those suffering from depression through positive psychology, clearing out the negative self-talk, and looking at the day to day biological self-care through educational modules, one-on-one therapy, group process, expressive arts, equine therapy, sound healing, yoga, and more. With only having 6 residents at a time, our residents can expect to be seen, respected, and understood.
Most Common Signs and Characteristics of Depression:
- Inconsistencies with sleep – too little or too much
- Loss of appetite or you can’t stop eating (one extreme or the other)
- Hard to concentrate and find that previously easy tasks are now difficult
- Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
- Hard to control negative thoughts
- Feeling irritable, short tempered or more aggressive than usual
- Thoughts that life is not worth living (seek immediate help)