Overview
Depression, a serious mental health issue, makes it hard for someone to be successful at work, maintain healthy relationships and to function normally each day. Many people don’t understand the seriousness of the disorder and how difficult it is to get better, according to “Psychology Today.” The things a person needs to do in order to recover from depression are things that the disorder makes extremely difficult to accomplish.
Understanding Depression
Everyone feels blue or sad once in a while, and many people relate their experience of sadness to people who struggle with depression. However, normal sadness that comes and goes is much different than depression, which lingers with the person constantly. Over time, depression can cause changes in a person’s chemical structure of the brain, which is why medication is often recommended.
Types of Professional Treatment
There are three main types of professional treatment for depression: medication, psychotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy, according to the Mayo Clinic. The most common form of medication recommended by doctors is antidepressants, more specifically, SSRIs such as Prozac and Zoloft. Everyone reacts differently to psychotropic medications, so it might take you more than one try to find the most effective medication with the least amount of side effects.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is commonly used to treat depression. Cognitive-behavioral therapists work with their clients to help them understand how their thoughts affect their emotions and behaviors. For instance, if someone thinks, “I’ll never be happy again,” and “I’ll never find someone who loves me,” she’s likely to become depressed. The therapist would help that person examine those thoughts, how they affect the person’s level of depression and how the person can change her thoughts to reduce her symptoms of depression.
According to the Mayo Clinic, electroconvulsive therapy is used when a person suffers from severe depression and medication and therapy have proven ineffective. It works by passing electrical currents through the patient’s brain to affect the levels of neurotransmitters.
Considerations
When determining the right course of treatment, a person should work with a mental health professional. The person’s level of depression, other mental health issues such as substance abuse, and family support should be taken into account while making a treatment plan.
Self-Help for Depression
Helpguide.org reports that there are things people can do on their own to reduce their symptoms of depression. These self-help techniques include exercising regularly, eating healthfully, getting eight hours of sleep, prioritizing healthy relationships, setting small goals, and practicing and implementing relaxation techniques.
Warning
The most serious symptom of depression is suicidal thoughts. Signs that a loved one might be considering suicide include saying goodbye, talking about death or writing about death, hopelessness, giving away prized possessions, acting recklessly and a sudden change from acting depressed to acting calm. People who experience thoughts of suicide need immediate help. You can get help by contacting the police or taking the person to your local psychiatric emergency room.
About this Author
Michelle Bolyn is a licensed mental health professional and has worked since 2006 as a therapist. Bolyn has been writing mental health, wedding-related and relationship focused articles since 2007. She is published on Suite101.com and Examiner.com. Bolyn received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from New York University.
