Treating Depression in Virginia and Washington DC

Depression is an emotional issue where a person feels down in mood for two or more weeks. Down mood includes:

• feelings of worthlessness,
• guilt,
• irritability,
• tearfulness,
• lack of interest, and
• lack of pleasure from usually enjoyable activities.

Depression often involves repetitive negative thoughts about the self and may also include the loss of or increase in appetite as well as either excessive sleep or difficulty falling and staying asleep.

Therapy can help you both manage and resolve issues that may be causing depression or Dysthymia. Below are some symptoms of both depression and dysthymia.

DSM-IV Depression Criteria:

Depressed mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure in life activities for at least 2 weeks and at least five of the following symptoms that cause clinically significant impairment in social, work, or other important areas of functioning almost every day

1. Depressed mood most of the day.

2. Diminished interest or pleasure in all or most activities.

3. Significant unintentional weight loss or gain.

4. Insomnia or sleeping too much.

5. Agitation or psychomotor retardation noticed by others.

6. Fatigue or loss of energy.

7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt.

8. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness.

9. Recurrent thoughts of death.

DSM-IV Dysthymia Criteria:

Depressed mood most of the day for more days than not, for at least 2 years, and the presence of two or more of the following symptoms that cause clinically significant impairment in social, work, or other important areas of functioning:

1. Poor appetite or overeating.

2. Insomnia or sleeping too much.

3. Low energy or fatigue.

4. Low self-esteem.

5. Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions.

6. Feelings of hopelessness