Dr John Drimmer, Psy.D

Whether you call it glum, bummed, blue, moody - or depressed... it robs life of its joy. Why live with a ball and chain on your ankle?

I see people who put up with it - when they could leave it behind them. Sometimes they blame themselves, or their childhoods, or life itself. I urge anyone in this fix to find a wonderful therapist who understands them.

Depression can be subtle and hard to identify for the person suffering from it. Or, it can be devastating to the person' functioning.

Some milder forms of depression can show up as lack of motivation or commitment, or even pessimism. That's called dysthymia.

Sometimes you might get depressed in response to a big loss or a set-back. Of course, some sadness is normal. But therapy may help a lot when it goes on longer and is deeper that we'd like to see.

More acute forms of depression can make it hard to get out of bed, or do the simplest tasks, like taking a shower or getting dressed, or causing thoughts of suicide.

If you feel that you have no refuge from negative thoughts and feelings, that you are listless and unmotivated in your life, or that you sometimes feel like you are in a fog and cannot think clearly, that's depression too.

There are many kinds of depression. There are many ways I help people with this. They range from Positive Psychology to cognitive behavioral therapy, to meditation and a host of other tools. I customize a plan for each person I work with.

Unsure whether you're depressed or not? Here are some of the things we look for. (You don't need to have all of them, they're clues.)

• insomnia
• worrying
• inability to focus or concentrate
• weight gain or loss of appetite
• Feeling hopeless and helpless
• Feeling emptiness, or persistent sadness
• Depression can appear as physical ailments like chronic headaches or digestive problems
• Decreased energy, exhaustion, or lack of motivation, despite a state of physical health
• Difficulty making decisions
• Persistent and unresolved grief, causing feelings of pessimism