Depression Treatment in San Diego

Everyone experiences sadness, especially after a loss or an unwanted life change. But you may have noticed that you feel sad more often than not, and that you feel pessimistic or even hopeless about the future. Perhaps few things are enjoyable, few things can make you smile, and you have a continuous stream of negative thoughts and feelings about yourself. Many everyday things may feel like a struggle, and few people may understand how you’re feeling.

You may be experiencing clinical depression, a medical illness that affects how you think, feel, and act. It is not the same thing as feeling sad for a brief period, as most people do, then feeling better. Depression can affect your appetite, sleep, and energy. Over 17 million Americans suffer from depression, which affects people of any age.

Depression is not something you may be able to “just pull yourself out of,” and it is not a sign of any personal weakness. It is important to know that there are very effective treatments for depression. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that has been shown by multiple research studies to be as effective or even more effective than medication. CBT is effective because it can help you overcome negative thinking, regain enthusiasm for life, and change behaviors that contribute to depression.

At the Center for Mental Wellness in San Diego, we provide CBT with patience and empathy. We also teach other strategies proven effective in research (such as mindfulness and dialectical behavior therapy techniques) to help you achieve both short-term and long-term changes. Our team of compassionate, expertly trained psychologists can help you get “unstuck.” Please contact us for a free phone consultation.