Signs You Are Going Into Depression

Seeking Treatment For Depression

Do you have some of the symptoms or know someone who does? Theres good news, according to Dr. Coffey. Treatment is available and can help you feel better.

Depression can be treated with psychotherapy , medication or brain stimulation, he explains. For many people, combining talk therapy with medication or brain stimulation is the most effective approach.”Most antidepressants can take between two and four weeks to make an impact. But once your ideal medication is found, you should start to feel more like yourself.Psychotherapy can take the form of cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy or other forms of therapy.

With cognitive behavioral therapy, a therapist will help you identify unhelpful thoughts and teach you how to challenge and modify them for better outcomes. While interpersonal therapy is a short-term treatment that focuses on the triggers of depression, improving interpersonal relationships and social anxiety.

There are many safe and effective treatment options available, including different approaches to talk therapy,” says Dr. Coffey. “You may need to try a few options before finding the right fit for you, but don’t let that be a deterrent. Your happiness and life are worth it.

Whats The Difference Between Grief And Depression

Given that the primary symptom associated with depression is sadness, it can be easy to think of grief or bereavement as depression. But grief is a natural response to specific experiences, such as the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one. While you might feel regret or remorse, and you might withdraw from usual activities if you are experiencing grief, youre unlikely to feel the overwhelming sense of worthlessness, thoughts of self-harm or suicide, and other symptoms of depression. Another important difference is that in grief, painful feelings usually come in waves and are often mixed with positive memories.

American Family Physician

Which Types Of Talk Therapy Work Best For Depression

• Behavioral activation therapy The aim of this type of therapy is to reverse the downward spiral of depression by encouraging you to seek out experiences and activities that give you joy.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT focuses on changing specific negative thought patterns so that you are able to better respond to challenging and stressful situations.
• Interpersonal therapy This very structured, time-limited form of therapy focuses on identifying and improving problematic personal relationships and circumstances directly related to your current depressive mood.
• Problem-solving therapy This therapy is a form of CBT that teaches take-charge skills that help you solve real-life problems and stressors, big and small, that contribute to depression.
• Self-management/self-control therapy This type of behavioral therapy trains you to lessen your negative reactions to events and reduce your self-punishing behaviors and thoughts.

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Signs And Symptoms: How To Identify Depression

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disordersdiagnosed with major depressive disorder

Do you:

• Constantly feel tearful, empty, or worthless?
• Have little interest or pleasure in your work, hobbies, friends, family, and other things you once enjoyed?
• Notice dramatic changes up or down in your appetite or your weight not related to dieting?
• Often feel listless or fatigued for no obvious reason?
• Have trouble concentrating or making decisions?
• Find yourself wringing your hands, pacing, or showing other signs of anxious restlessness or the opposite, moving or speaking more slowly than usual?
• Struggle with insomnia or sleep too much?
• Have recurrent thoughts of suicide or death?

To be diagnosed with MDD, one of your symptoms must be a persistent low mood or a loss of interest or pleasure, the DSM-5 states. Your symptoms must also not be due to substance abuse or a medical condition, such as thyroid problems, a brain tumor, or a nutritional deficiency.

Of course, its normal to have any or all of these symptoms temporarily from time to time. The difference with depression is that the symptoms persist and make it difficult to function normally.

Getting The Most Effective Treatment Depression Rehab

If you are someone who has suffered from one or more episodes of serious depression you might benefit from a depression retreat where you can get to the core of your mental health issues.

The Dawn in Thailand offers depression retreat run by a team of Western-trained mental health experts who are highly-experienced in treating both situational and clinical depression and will ensure you have a strategy in place to cope with stressors when you return home so that you are less likely to relapse.

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If Youre Experiencing Symptoms

• Recognize if youre starting to slip. If you are struggling with new or worsening symptoms, dont hesitate to seek help. If you already have a therapist, reach out to them right away. If you do not have one, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP for a free, confidential referral for treatment. If youre considering harming yourself, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 .
• Ignore incorrect attitudes. The old idea of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps is not only outdated, but also not based in science. If you feel depressed, there is no cause for guilt, says Dr. Solomon.

Recognize Depressive Reactions Depressive Disorders And Depressive Diseases

If depression is a state of behavioral shutdown, then it makes sense that we should ask, with an attitude of curiosity, What might be causing my emotional-motivational system to shut down? I distinguish between three broad kinds of causes and classify them in terms of 1) depressive reactions 2) depressive disorders and 3) depressive diseases.

Each of these domains can contribute to depressive feelings, and it is very important to understand what they are and why.

Depressive reactions refer to shutdowns that follow serious psychological injuries, such as the death of a loved one or other major losses, such as a divorce or job loss or other major life event that is experienced as a core life failure. Depressive reactions also include shutdown responses to brutally difficult or oppressive life situations, such as living with an abusive partner or dealing with chronic pain.

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Depressive disorders are the second class of causes that drive people into depressive caves. Depressive disorders involve maladaptive patterns of acting, reacting, relating, and coping with stress that actually makes things worse. These are vicious cycles that drive people into dead ends.

A vicious cycle involves the following:

stressors or difficulties or losses in a persons life cause them to

adjust and cope in problematic ways, which lead to

more trouble functioning and greater distress that then results in

even more problematic coping.

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What Are The Different Antidepressants And How Do They Work

• SSRI This category of drug includes fluoxetine , citalopram , and sertraline and targets serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps control mood, appetite, and sleep.
• SNRI SNRIs include drugs like duloxetine , desvenlafaxine , and venlafaxine , which block the reabsorption of both serotonin and another neurotransmitter, norepinephrine.
• NDRI This class of medications includes bupropion.
• TCA TCAs include such drugs as imipramine and nortriptyline . These drugs were among the earliest antidepressants to come on the market. These days, doctors generally only turn to them when treatment with SSRIs, SNRIs, and NDRIs has failed.
• MAOI MAOIs, including phenelzine and isocarboxazid , were the first antidepressants developed. Theyre rarely used today, in part because people who take them require careful monitoring to prevent negative interactions with certain foods and other medications.

All antidepressants can have side effects, but some may be more problematic than others. You may need to try several different medications, or a combination, guided by your doctor, before you find what works best for you.

You Cant Just Snap Out Of Depression

Well-meaning friends or family members may try to tell someone with depression to snap out of it, just be positive, or you can be happier if you just try harder. But depression is not a sign of a persons weakness or a character flaw. The truth is that most people who experience depression need treatment to get better.

If you are a friend or family member of a woman with depression, you can offer emotional support, understanding, patience, and encouragement. But never dismiss her feelings. Encourage her to talk to her health care provider, and remind her that, with time and treatment, she can feel better.

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Depression Is A Real Medical Condition

Depression is a common but serious mood disorder. Depression symptoms can interfere with your ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy your life. Although researchers are still studying the causes of depression, current research suggests that depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Most people with depression need treatment to feel better.

Feeling Depressed Or Suffering From Depression

We often get mixed up between low mood and unhappiness and depression. The two things are very different. Depression isnt about feeling unhappy, its feeling youll never be happy again, explains Colin Grange, Psychologist and Clinical Director of Lifeworks.

If youre feeling low, is it starting to interfere with your day to day life? Are you not doing things that you used to do? Are you losing motivation in and enjoyment of life? Are you starting to not enjoy your hobbies? Is everything becoming an effort?

People suffering from clinical depression often experience a range of symptoms both physical and emotional which can interfere with day to day life. Discovering whether you are suffering from one or more of these symptoms could be an important step towards getting the help you need.

Am I depressed ?

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Loss Of Interest Or Pleasure

Another hallmark sign of a depression relapse is the loss of interest in things that you used to find enjoyable. This might include attraction to your partner, sex with your partner, hobbies, seeing friends, or anything that you used to enjoy.

If you are noticing that things you once enjoyed have started to feel like a burden, then you may be experiencing loss of interest or pleasure related to a depression relapse. If your favorite activities feel like too much effort and not worth it, this could be a sign that you are relapsing.

Signs Of A Depression Relapse

For this reason, it is important to consider the various potential signs or symptoms of a depression relapse. Below is a complete list of the potential signs to watch for and the sections that follow include detailed descriptions of these signs and symptoms to help you determine if they are impacting you.

• Aches and pains
• Suicidal ideation/thoughts

If you or a loved one are struggling with depression, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

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Increased Irritability Or Anger

It can be extremely draining to struggle with heavy emotions day after day, so it makes sense that someone experiencing depression may become irritable and angry over time. Depression can often feel like a cloud that filters everything through a lens of negativity, making it challenging to maintain a positive outlook.

As a result, someone with depression may struggle with regulating their own emotions, especially in stressful situations. They may find themselves unintentionally snapping at loved ones or strangers when coping with the psychological and physical weight of the disorder. They may also experience heightened anxiety or recurring traumatic memories.

Depression: What You Need To Know As You Age

If youre one of the more than 14.8 million American adults who experiences major depression, you may feel so bad that you cant get out of bed, be around the people you love or participate in activities that you usually enjoy. Actually, there are more than 50 different symptoms of major depression, ranging from the well-knowncrying and sadnessto those you might never associate with depression, such as anger, workaholism and back pain.

Depression is a disease that affects every aspect of a persons life, not just mood, says Johns Hopkins expert Andrew Angelino, M.D., Chair of Psychiatry at Howard County General Hospital. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, depression will be the second-leading cause of disability in the world, just behind cardiovascular disease.

People who are depressed are far more likely to have other chronic medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, back problems, arthritis, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and to have worse outcomes. Untreated depression can even affect your immune response to some vaccines.

Depression is not just debilitating it can be deadly. An estimated one out of five people with depression will attempt suicide at some point.

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You Exhibit Behaviors That May Be Associated With Pandemic Fatigue

With COVID-19 completely upending our daily lives, it can be easy to dismiss depression as a side effect of dealing with pandemic pressures. Ignoring social distancing measures, going lax on mask ordinances, or changing your punctuality habits or appearance can all be indicators that youre depressed and not just tired of the pandemic restrictions.

A lot of us are fatigued by the pandemic and how long its been, said Zamira Castro, a licensed psychologist based in Florida. Theres pandemic fatigue, and then theres carelessness or complete disregard for your well-being. That could be a slippery slope. Someone in your life whos loosening their COVID restrictions, you may wonder is this because theyre really tired and theyre trying to manage their risks and play with what they can or cant, or they dont about themselves.

Signs A Person Is Going Into Depression

Here are a few signs that prove a person is going into depression.

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One of your close friends snapped at you and walked away. What would you do? Try to look for an answer for such unusual behaviour or take it on your ego and say I dont care. Most probably it will be the latter. It is rare that we try to find answers to peoples behaviour before judging them.

However, if you see a sudden change in someones behaviour, often, it can be a result of a psychological issue or mental illness. So, before you judge people based on their behaviour its imperative to try and find out the reason behind it.

Here are 4 signs that suggest a person is going into depression and needs your help.

Sudden social withdrawal

If a person you know who has been a social butterfly for as long as you can remember has started withdrawing from the surroundings and is breaking all social contact, there are chances that he or she may be suffering from depression. So, if you see such a sign, make sure to gain their confidence and make them talk about what is bothering them. Once you are sure, it is depression, or even if you arent, convince them to seek professional help.

Feeling of guilt

Lack of interest in daily activities

Anxiety, stress and fidgety behaviour

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You’re Obsessed With Perfection

If the threat of coronavirus has you scrubbing your kitchen counter until it shines every day, it’s understandable. But if you’ve suddenly developed an obsession with perfection that’s affecting your moods, there may be a deeper issue, and it could be a sign of depression.

According to Neurocore Brain Performance Centers, “For those with depression, perfectionism can stem from a cognitive distortion believing that making mistakes will cause others to stop loving or accepting them. This can lead these individuals to set exceptionally high standards, and if those standards aren’t met, they can end up feeling like a failure.” Your perfectionism and disappointment can make you spiral into a cycle of depression. If you’ve noticed this obsession with perfection, you may need to seek help from a counselor.

Difficulty Getting Out Of Bed

Its normal to enjoy sleeping in or spending time in bed. However, if it has become difficult to find the motivation to get out of bed or get ready in the morning, this could be a sign of depression. Depression can make us feel fatigued and physically drained to the point where even small tasks, like getting up in the morning, can feel exhausting or difficult to do.

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They Stop Taking Care Of Themselves

Self-care isnt always a priority for those suffering from depression. If someone that usually keeps up their appearance and takes care of themselves stops doing so, it could be a sign.

Not taking care of their appearance could mean that they start wearing things they usually wouldnt. They might show up in dirty or wrinkled clothing or something that doesnt fit properly. If they typically wear makeup or do their hair and suddenly stop without explanation, it is also an indication.

Additionally, not taking care of themselves in other ways is common for people with depression. As explained before, their eating habits might change. Plus, they might stop taking care of their hygiene and turn to negative forms of coping.

How Does Depression Differ From Sadness

Sadness is a normal response to disappointment, setbacks, and losses. Depression is not. Depression is accompanied by sadness, but it is distinguished by the presence of other symptoms as well. It descends like a pervasive cloud, often without any obvious trigger, robbing energy, motivation, meaning, and a sense of self-worth. It endures for weeks or months. Sadness turns people inward, encouraging them to find meaning or other accommodation, and then remits. Depression requires treatment sadness does not.

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