Understanding Depression
Depression is more than feeling sad or going through a rough patch. It is a serious mental health condition that affects how you think, feel, and handle daily activities. Depression can diminish your interest in things you once enjoyed, drain your energy, disrupt your sleep, affect your appetite, make it difficult to concentrate, and in severe cases, lead to thoughts of self-harm. It is one of the most common mental health disorders, yet it remains widely misunderstood and often goes untreated.
Dr. Stephanie L. Cornette, Psy.D., provides comprehensive depression treatment at her Chicago practice. Using cognitive behavior therapy as the primary therapeutic framework, combined with reality-based techniques and a wholistic perspective, Dr. Cornette helps clients move from a place of hopelessness toward renewed purpose and well-being.
Types of Depressive Disorders
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Major depressive disorder is characterized by a persistent depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, lasting at least two weeks. Symptoms are severe enough to cause noticeable impairment in work, social interactions, and daily functioning. Individuals with MDD may experience feelings of worthlessness, excessive guilt, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep and appetite, psychomotor agitation or retardation, and recurrent thoughts of death.
MDD can range from mild to severe and may present as a single episode or a recurrent condition. Dr. Cornette develops individualized treatment plans that address the specific severity and pattern of each client's depression.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
Persistent depressive disorder involves a chronically depressed mood that occurs for most of the day, for more days than not, for at least two years. While the symptoms may be less severe than those of major depression, their chronic nature can be equally debilitating. Many people with dysthymia have lived with their symptoms for so long that they believe feeling low is simply "who they are." Cognitive behavior therapy can challenge this belief and help clients recognize that chronic depression is treatable.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, most commonly occurring during the fall and winter months when daylight hours are shorter. Symptoms include low energy, oversleeping, overeating, weight gain, and social withdrawal. Chicago's long winters can make residents particularly susceptible to SAD. Dr. Cornette helps clients develop coping strategies specifically tailored to seasonal mood changes.
Situational Depression
Sometimes called adjustment disorder with depressed mood, situational depression arises in response to specific life events — the loss of a loved one, a divorce, job loss, a medical diagnosis, or a major life transition. While it is a natural response to difficult circumstances, when depressive symptoms persist or intensify, professional intervention can help prevent the condition from becoming more severe. Grief counseling may also be appropriate in cases involving bereavement.
How Cognitive Behavior Therapy Helps Depression
Cognitive behavior therapy is the most extensively researched and empirically supported psychological treatment for depression. It works by addressing the negative thought patterns and behavioral cycles that maintain depressive symptoms. The central idea of CBT is that depression is not simply caused by events themselves, but by how we interpret and respond to those events.
When someone is depressed, they tend to develop a negative triad of thinking — negative views of themselves ("I'm worthless"), the world ("Nothing good ever happens"), and the future ("Things will never get better"). These automatic thoughts feel completely true but are often distorted by cognitive biases such as all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, mental filtering, and personalization.
Dr. Cornette's CBT-based approach helps clients learn to identify these distortions, evaluate the evidence for and against negative thoughts, and develop more balanced interpretations. Simultaneously, behavioral activation techniques help clients gradually re-engage with meaningful activities, breaking the cycle of withdrawal and inactivity that worsens depression.
The Treatment Process
- 1. Initial Evaluation: A thorough assessment of your symptoms, history, and current life circumstances. Dr. Cornette may recommend psychological testing to clarify the diagnosis and identify any co-occurring conditions such as anxiety or mood disorders.
- 2. Goal Setting: Together, you and Dr. Cornette establish clear, achievable goals for treatment — what you want to feel, do, and accomplish as you recover.
- 3. Cognitive Restructuring: Learning to identify and challenge the negative automatic thoughts and core beliefs that fuel depression.
- 4. Behavioral Activation: Gradually increasing engagement in rewarding, meaningful activities to counteract the withdrawal and passivity that depression promotes.
- 5. Skill Building: Developing practical coping skills for stress management, problem-solving, communication, and emotional regulation.
- 6. Relapse Prevention: Building a personalized plan to maintain gains, recognize early warning signs, and respond proactively to future challenges.
Depression and Co-Occurring Conditions
Depression rarely exists in isolation. It frequently co-occurs with anxiety disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders, and substance use. Chronic stress can trigger or worsen depressive episodes, and unresolved grief can develop into clinical depression. Dr. Cornette's wholistic approach ensures that all contributing factors are addressed in your treatment plan, rather than treating symptoms in isolation.
Signs It May Be Time to Seek Help
Consider reaching out for professional help if you are experiencing:
- Persistent sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness lasting more than two weeks
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you once enjoyed
- Significant changes in sleep patterns or appetite
- Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things
- Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive, inappropriate guilt
- Withdrawal from friends, family, and social activities
- Physical symptoms such as headaches or digestive problems without a clear cause
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Depression is treatable. With the right therapeutic approach, the vast majority of people with depression experience significant improvement. Dr. Cornette provides a compassionate, evidence-based environment where recovery is not just possible — it is expected.
Begin Your Recovery From Depression
You do not have to face depression alone. Dr. Cornette offers a supportive, evidence-based approach to help you regain hope, energy, and purpose.
Call (773) 988-7144