The Risk Of Suicide Is Real
What to do in a crisis situation
If you believe your loved one is at an immediate risk for suicide, do NOT leave them alone.
In the U.S., dial 911 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.
In other countries, call your countrys emergency services number or visit IASP to find a suicide prevention helpline.
It may be hard to believe that the person you know and love would ever consider something as drastic as suicide, but a depressed person may not see any other way out. Depression clouds judgment and distorts thinking, causing a normally rational person to believe that death is the only way to end the pain theyre feeling.
Since suicide is a very real danger when someone is depressed, its important to know the warning signs:
- Talking about suicide, dying, or harming oneself a preoccupation with death
- Expressing feelings of hopelessness or self-hate
- Acting in dangerous or self-destructive ways
- Getting affairs in order and saying goodbye
- Seeking out pills, weapons, or other lethal objects
- A sudden sense of calm after depression
If you think a friend or family member might be considering suicide, dont wait, talk to them about your concerns. Many people feel uncomfortable bringing up the topic but it is one of the best things you can do for someone who is thinking about suicide. Talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a persons life, so speak up if youre concerned and seek professional help immediately!
Other Causes Of Depression
There are a number of things that can lead to developing depression.
- Stressful events big changes in your life, like bereavement, the end of a relationship or the loss of a job, can be difficult to deal with. When these things happen, it’s important to keep seeing friends and family instead of trying to deal with problems alone this increases your risk of developing depression.
- Giving birth pregnancy and birth can make some people vulnerable to depression. Postnatal depression can happen as the result of physical changes, hormonal changes, and the responsibility of taking care of a new baby.
- Loneliness your risk of depression gets higher if you aren’t in contact or spending time with family and friends.
- Personality some personality traits can put you at a higher risk of developing depression. These include low-self esteem or a habit of criticising yourself too much. These personality traits can come from your genes, which you get from your parents, or they can be as a result of experiences in your early life.
- Family history it’s more likely for someone to develop depression if a family member, like a sibling or parent, has experienced it before.
Can Depression Go Away On Its Own
When talking with friends and family about your struggles with feelings of sadness and hopelessness, youll often come across the saying, time heals all wounds.
While people mean well when they say this, it just isnt true for depression. Depression is a serious mental illness that doesnt wither away with time. If left untreated, depression symptoms can actually become worse.
If you dont seek treatment for your depression, your quality of life will suffer as a result.
In my case, I let myself stay in my depression for nearly ten years without any treatment, and things got very bad. I had morning depression that was so bad I couldnt get out of bed to start work, and it was affecting all of my relationships.
If I was hanging out with friends, Id be in my head talking myself down.
When dating, I wasnt able to make sure the girl was having a good time because I was sticking to negative thoughts about things not going anywhere. Id constantly be thinking about how Im not good enough for her.
In addition to the possibility of facing issues similar to the above, untreated depression can increase your risk of suicide. To avoid this, its best to seek out treatment before things get too bad.
Also Check: How To Help Someone With Mild Depression
Psychotherapy For Depression Treatment
If there is no underlying medical cause for your symptoms of depression, talk therapy can be an extremely effective treatment. What you learn in therapy gives you skills and insight to feel better and help prevent depression from coming back.
There are many types of therapy available. Three of the more common methods used in depression treatment include cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. Often, a blended approach is used.
Some types of therapy teach you practical techniques on how to reframe negative thinking and employ behavioral skills in combating depression. Therapy can also help you work through the root of your depression, helping you understand why you feel a certain way, what your triggers are for depression, and what you can do to stay healthy.
How To Prevent A Recurrence
Treating your depression can help reduce the risk of another recurrence. Treatment commonly includes a combination of some form of talk therapy, as well as medication.
Sometimes people experience a recurrence of depression during their treatment, and thats okay. Your treatment team can reevaluate your treatment plan and see if it needs to be changed or tweaked.
Read Also: If I Am A Christian Why Am I Depressed
Why Treatment Is Necessary And How To Get It
If you want to treat your depression, you need to seek help from mental health professionals. This isnt something you can simply fix on your own. Mental health professionals, such as therapists and psychiatrists, are trained in the science of how the mind works and can help you get on a path to feeling better.
If youre feeling depressed, two forms of treatment that have worked for me are therapy and antidepressants.
Recovery Is Possible We Are Here To Help
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Holtzheimer, Paul Helen, Mayberg. Stuck in a rut: rethinking depression and its treatment. Trends in Neurosciences, 2011. Accessed September 23, 2019.
Medical Disclaimer: The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
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How Does It Aid Healing
The tales from history about necromancy are many. People believe about its mention in the holy books, the literary works and poems of scholars and artists. It is largely perceived as a scary thing because most often it involves contact with the lifeless.
But there is a whole side to it that is possibly ignored.
It is believed that necromancy first came in as a medical art way back in the year 1212 by a man named Dr. Otto Derlin. He was a well educated medical professional plus a very able mage. Whenever he came across a condition that was difficult or impossible to treat using the prevailing medical practices then, Dr Derlin would cure the patient using a spell or potion. This was still limited to conditions where medical science would give up and only advanced healing magic could be tried to save a patients life.
Dr. Derlin eventually could keep a persons soul tied to the body till the time the injury could heal with ease.
This healing magic then took an ugly turn in the year 365, when Dr. Charon Acheron with other necromancers believed and started working against the most incurable disease of all times- death.
Does Exercise Help Treat Depression
For some people, yes. Researchers think that exercise may work better than no treatment at all to treat depression.15 They also think that regular exercise can lower your risk of getting depression and help many depression symptoms get better.16 Researchers do not know whether exercise works as well as therapy or medicine to treat depression.15 People with depression often find it very difficult to exercise, even though they know it will help make them feel better. Walking is a good way to begin exercising if you havent exercised recently.
Also Check: Lack Of Sleep Causes Depression
God Healed My Depression But I Dont Know If Hell Heal Yours
About 28 years ago, God healed me of depression suddenly and unexpectedly. I had struggled throughout college with this overwhelming sadness: it felt like falling into a pit with no means of escape. Some weeks were better than others. But, when my depression was at its peak, I would duck into a bathroom and cry four to five times a day. Then, I would dry my eyes, wait for the redness to subside, and exit with a smile.
I was horribly ashamed of my condition so ashamed, I never saw a counselor and so ashamed I never told my friends or family. In my family, we never discussed things like depression. We were Christians. We were lights on a hill and bound for heaven. Why on earth would we be depressed? To make matters worse, I was in college, presumably having the time of my life. My parents had always talked wistfully about their happy college days and I knew they expected me to love college too. I didnt want to disappoint them, so I pretended and suffered silently.
Certainly, Scripture refers to our emotional, spiritual and physical aspects as integral to each other No doubt, our spiritual health affects our emotional health and vice-versa. But, what does that mean when treating those who suffer from emotional and mental issues?
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Lifestyle Changes To Treat Depression
Exercise.Regular exercise can be as effective at treating depression as medication. Not only does exercise boost serotonin, endorphins, and other feel-good brain chemicals, it triggers the growth of new brain cells and connections, just like antidepressants do. Best of all, you dont have to train for a marathon in order to reap the benefits. Even a half-hour daily walk can make a big difference. For maximum results, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity on most days.
Social support. Strong social networks reduce isolation, a key risk factor for depression. Keep in regular contact with friends and family, or consider joining a class or group. Volunteering is a wonderful way to get social support and help others while also helping yourself.
Nutrition. Eating well is important for both your physical and mental health. Eating small, well-balanced meals throughout the day will help you keep your energy up and minimize mood swings. While you may be drawn to sugary foods for the quick boost they provide, complex carbohydrates are a better choice. Theyll get you going without the all-too-soon sugar crash.
Sleep. Sleep has a strong effect on mood. When you dont get enough sleep, your depression symptoms will be worse. Sleep deprivation exacerbates irritability, moodiness, sadness, and fatigue. Make sure youre getting enough sleep each night. Very few people do well on less than seven hours a night. Aim for somewhere between seven to nine hours each night.
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Change Harsh Monologues To Compassionate Dialogues
Its so common for people to be hard on themselves when they are depressed and yet its when were depressed that we most need kindness and compassion.
Imagine how you would speak to a child or a dear friend if they were feeling down. Hopefully, you would communicate with them in a very kind and compassionate way. Healing does not come from harshness. If it did, you would probably feel better by now because Im guessing you have not spent the majority of your time being compassionate and kind towards your depressed emotions.
Sadly, many people with depression spend the majority of their time beating themselves up and then feeling bad about feeling bad, but fortunately, we can turn this pattern around and every moment we get another chance. Healing begins when we meet our emotions with tenderness and empathy. Lets take a brief look at how to do that.
How To Be Kind And Compassionate To Ourselves
If we break down the word depression, we get de-press. Pressing down. So often we are taught to depress or press down our emotions and they end up turning into a big ball of depression. So part of overcoming depression is learning how to identify and express your emotions and receive the compassion you need for them.
You may have unresolved feelings that led to developing depression in the first place, you may have emotions about your depression and you might have feelings as a result of depression. They all need compassion and honoring.
Lifestyle Changes For Depression
Lifestyle changes, such as making art, journaling, exercising more, and practicing yoga or mindfulness, can also alleviate depression and the stress that can heighten it. Alternative treatments like massage, acupuncture, and light therapy may also help.
Diet changes, too, can uplift your mood by reducing inflammation and helping to ensure your brain gets the nutrients it needs to function at its best.
One randomized controlled study, published October 9, 2019, in the journal PLoS One, found that self-reported symptoms of depression dropped significantly in just three weeks in young adults who changed from a highly processed, high-carbohydrate diet to a focused on vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, unsweetened dairy, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and the spices turmeric and cinnamon. In contrast, the depression scores didnt budge in a control group of people who didnt change their diet.
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Meet Yourself Where You Are
Depression is common. It affects millions of people, including some in your life. You may not realize they face similar challenges, emotions, and obstacles.
Every day with this disorder is different. Its important to take your mental health seriously and accept that where you are right now isnt where youll always be.
The key to self-treatment for depression is to be open, accepting, and loving toward yourself and what youre going through.
How To Talk To Someone About Depression
Sometimes it is hard to know what to say when speaking to someone about depression. You might fear that if you bring up your worries the person will get angry, feel insulted, or ignore your concerns. You may be unsure what questions to ask or how to be supportive.
If you dont know where to start, the following suggestions may help. But remember that being a compassionate listener is much more important than giving advice. You dont have to try to fix your friend or family member you just have to be a good listener. Often, the simple act of talking face to face can be an enormous help to someone suffering from depression. Encourage the depressed person to talk about their feelings, and be willing to listen without judgment.
Dont expect a single conversation to be the end of it. Depressed people tend to withdraw from others and isolate themselves. You may need to express your concern and willingness to listen over and over again. Be gentle, yet persistent.
Also Check: How To Deal With A Depressed Spouse
Psychological Depression Symptoms Include:
- doing poorly at work
- difficulties with your family or home life
It’s not always possible to tell that you’re having symptoms of depression right away it can start and progress gradually. A lot of people don’t realise they’re ill and try to carry on and cope with their symptoms. Sometimes it takes a friend or family member to notice that there’s a problem.
How To Find A Therapist
When it comes to therapy, you dont need to go to a doctor before you look for a therapist. You can use Psychology Today to browse professionals in your area filtered by the type of therapy they offer, insurance they accept, and more.
When seeking out a therapist, you may need to try going to a few different ones before finding someone whos a good fit for you. Its important that you like and trust your therapist.
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Upgrade Your Mind Mood
In my work with clients, I like to teach what I call three different mind moods:
- unkind mind,
- kind mind and
- quiet mind.
Theyre all pretty self-explanatory. But suffice it to say that an unkind mind dishes out negative and critical thoughts. A kind mind is when were thinking positively or kindly toward ourselves and others. And when were in a quiet mind mode, were simply in the present moment and our minds are at peace.
Lets say you become aware that your unkind mind has been running the show. Here you are going about your day and you become aware of thoughts like, why bother, things are hopeless, Ill always be depressed, Ill never be happy or everyone else has more fill in the blank.
Now youre at a crossroad. You can keep recycling and believing the thoughts that your unkind mind is dishing out, or you can make a conscious decision to either upgrade your thought to a kinder one or to quiet your mind by turning your attention to something that is actually factually present in the here and now, otherwise known as reality.
As you gain more awareness of your depressive thoughts and more willingness to upgrade them, you will start to get some breaks in the regularly played unkind mind programs.
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