Spotted Rabbit studio

Although it can sometimes hit you overnight most often depression builds slowly, at times in ways we may not even realize. We blame the weather for not going out or a recent bought of illness for not connecting with friends. Work and school seem to take more and more energy. The household chores start sliding. It’s difficult to get to the grocery store. One day bleeds into another. Before we know it we’re just going through the motions. Nothing seems to hold your interest. Sleep is disrupted – either sleeping all the time or not at all. Brushing your teeth feels like a monumental task. Your mind is filled with thoughts of no longer existing and you play through all the options to end it. It feels like it’s always been this way and that it always will be.

Throughout history writers and artists have tried to capture the experience of depression in order to share it with others. Their continued attempt to do so demonstrates in some ways the futility of this effort, of trying to make people understand who have not walked the path themselves. Spotted Rabbit therapists tend to look at depression a little differently. First of all, we just get it. Most of us have experienced depression firsthand so we understand the complexities and challenges that come along for the ride and make it seem impossible to have hope. We also view depression as a symptom of other conditions such as complex trauma or living inauthentically as an LGBTQ or neurodivergent person in a world that doesn’t seem built for you. While we recognize the role biology has on developing depression our experience as clinicians has been that depression often starts to dissipate once individuals set boundaries with toxic and abusive people, make changes to their environment to better meet their needs, and start living authentically with a focus on meaning and purpose within their lives. Very often it isn’t actually us, only the deeply held belief of what we “should do” or “should be” in life that keeps us stuck and feeling like we just don’t belong or don’t measure up.