Treating Young Adults with Depression
Finding The Way Back to Light
Depression is so much more than just sadness. It drains color from the world, saps energy, and makes even getting out of bed feel insurmountable.
We've worked with hundreds of young adults whose depression has interrupted their path to independence. Our Portland-area programs offer specialized support that addresses both the immediate symptoms of depression and the practical skills needed to build a sustainable, meaningful life beyond the disorder.
Many young adults arrive at our door after years of struggling silently, trying to push through on their own. Some have tried traditional outpatient therapy with limited success. Others have cycled through medications without finding the right fit. Most have watched their peers move forward while feeling increasingly stuck, wondering if something is fundamentally wrong with them. It’s not.
Depression is a complex condition with biological, psychological, and social dimensions—and there's a way forward, even when it doesn't feel that way. You just have to take the first step.
Depression in Young Adults
Depression hits particularly hard during the transition to adulthood. Just as young adults get new opportunities for school, career development, and relationships, depression can rob them of the motivation, focus, and drive that they need to do it all.
For young adults, depression often looks like:
- Academic or Vocational Struggles
- Aggression & Irritability
- Low Energy & Motivation
- Negative Self-Perception
- Sleep Disruption
- Social Withdrawal & Isolation
- Substance Use
Depression Treatment For Young Adults
Effective depression treatment requires addressing both underlying causes and the ways that symptoms impact daily life. Our approach combines evidence-based therapeutic interventions with real-world skill building in a supportive community.
Every treatment plan is different, but may include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Depression thrives on negative thought patterns—the constant internal monologue telling young adults that things will never get better. Through CBT,p clients recognize these untruths, challenging them with evidence, and learn to carry a more balanced perspective..
Behavioral Activation
Waiting to "feel like" doing things will have you waiting a long time when you’re depressed. Behavioral activation can break this pattern and give young people tools for tackling various activities even when they don’t feel like it.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT provides practical skills for handling overwhelming emotions, building better relationships, and practicing distress tolerance throughout a depressive episode and after.
Mindfulness Practices
Depression often pulls people into regret about the past or worry about the future. Mindfulness gives clients present-moment awareness, creating space between themselves and their thoughts.
Self-Care
The mind-body connection is broken during depression. Our program encourages regular exercise, nutrition, and sleep hygiene—all evidence-based interventions for depression that also build foundational habits for healthy living.
Social Connection
Depression thrives in isolation. In our community-based program, young adults live and learn alongside peers who understand the struggle.
Finding Purpose
Vocational exploration, educational support, volunteering, and creative expression help clients discover sources of meaning that can sustain them when things get tough.
Medication Management
When appropriate, our psychiatric team provides expert assessment and medication management, working closely with each client to prescribe the right medication and manage side effects.
Family Therapy
Just like other mental health disorders, depression affects the entire family system. Through family sessions and education, we address patterns that may be allowing the depression to thrive, and develop new ways of interacting that support transformation, creating a toolbox for ongoing recovery after the program ends.
Building a Life Beyond Depression
Our ultimate goal isn't just symptom reduction. It's helping young adults create lives rich enough in meaning and purpose to sustain them no matter what. Depression can recur, but with resilience and practical coping strategies, it doesn’t have to take someone off track.
For example, self-awareness and early warning detection skills can help young adults recognize depression symptoms and address them before they become all-encompassing. Knowledge of their own values and sources of joy can guide decision-making and provide direction, while healthy social connections can reduce isolation and provide support during difficult times.
Thus equipped, young adults can move from being controlled by depression to managing it, allowing them to pursue education, careers, relationships, and independent living.
Find a New Path Forward
If you or a young adult you love is struggling with depression, reach out. We've helped hundreds of young adults find their way through depression's fog to build meaningful, independent lives.