What Is Depression And What Can I Do About It

Ect Isnt A Last Resort

What Can I Do to HELP? Supporting a Loved One With Depression | Dr. Rami Nader

With decades of misinformation and stigma surrounding it, electroconvulsive therapy is often misunderstood. It is a safe and effective treatment, one that is often the only relief for individuals who have been struggling with treatment resistant depression and other mental illnesses. But ECT doesnt have to be the last line of defense.

Negative Thoughts And Depression

Worrying or thinking negatively is common in people with depression. This affects your ability to focus on getting better and makes you more vulnerable to unhealthy emotions.

Tips to help you control worry and reduce negative thinking include:

Write down what you are worried about. Go through each concern and think about how realistic your negative thoughts are. Explore alternative thoughts and explanations.
Try not to focus on the things you cannot change.
Focus on the present. Accept your thoughts without actively engaging with them.
Write down your problems and brainstorm solutions. Jot down the pros and cons with each option and choose the one that seems the best. Review whether it worked to overcome the problem.
Avoid making major decisions about your life at this time.

Onset Of Depression More Complex Than A Brain Chemical Imbalance

It’s often said that depression results from a chemical imbalance, but that figure of speech doesn’t capture how complex the disease is. Research suggests that depression doesn’t spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems. It’s believed that several of these forces interact to bring on depression.

To be sure, chemicals are involved in this process, but it is not a simple matter of one chemical being too low and another too high. Rather, many chemicals are involved, working both inside and outside nerve cells. There are millions, even billions, of chemical reactions that make up the dynamic system that is responsible for your mood, perceptions, and how you experience life.

With this level of complexity, you can see how two people might have similar symptoms of depression, but the problem on the inside, and therefore what treatments will work best, may be entirely different.

What follows is an overview of the current understanding of the major factors believed to play a role in the causes of depression.

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Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

Sleep and mood are intimately related. A 2014 study found that 80% of people with major depressive disorder experience sleep disturbances.

But, you might feel like you just can’t fall asleep. Or perhaps you struggle to get out of bed because you feel exhausted all the time.

Good sleep hygiene could be key to improving the quality and quantity of your sleep.

Turn off electronics at least an hour before you go to bed. Use dim light to read a book or engage in another relaxing activity.

Only use your bed for sleep and sexual activity. Doing work in bed, or even in your bedroom, can cause you to associate your bed with stress, rather than relaxation.

Which Types Of Talk Therapy Work Best For Depression

The Society of Clinical Psychology rates several types of psychotherapy as highly effective :

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 CBT that teaches take-charge skills that help you solve the 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.

Depression And Suicide: Getting Help In A Crisis

Some people who are depressed may think about hurting themselves or committing suicide . If you or someone you know is having thoughts about hurting themselves or committing suicide please seek immediate help. The following resources can help:

Call to reach a 24hour crisis center or dial 911. is the National Suicide Prevention Lifelineexternal icon, which provides free confidential help to people in crisis. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrationexternal icon runs this lifeline.
Get help from your primary doctor or other health care provider.
Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
Contact a minister, spiritual leader, or someone else in your faith community.

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What Does Depression Feel Like

Carly Snyder, MD is a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist who combines traditional psychiatry with integrative medicine-based treatments.

How to Identify Exactly What You’re Feeling When You Have Depression

Sadness is something we all experience from time to time. For some, this feeling is temporary and goes away on its own. But for others, this persistent feeling of emptiness, unhappiness, and hopelessness becomes a regular part of their day.

If your mood has changed over the last few weeks and engaging in routine daily tasks is getting more difficult, you may have depression, and you’re not alone.

Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States. According to data from 2017, it is estimated that 17.3 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States had a least one major depressive episode in the past year.

Depression, a mood disorder that can cause mild to severe symptoms, can affect how you feel, think, and manage daily activities.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Depression

Common symptoms of depression include:

Persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Feelings of irritability, frustration or restlessness
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies or activities
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
Difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping
Changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes
Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and that do not ease even with treatment
Suicide attempts or thoughts of death or suicide

If you or someone you know is in immediate distress or is thinking about hurting themselves, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-TALK . You also can text the Crisis Text Line or use the Lifeline Chat on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website.

Who Can Be Treated Successfully For Clinical Depression

Postpartum Depression: What You Need to Know

More than 80% of people with clinical depression can be successfully treated with early recognition, intervention, and support.

Depression affects almost 19 million people each year, including a large portion of the working population. People with untreated depression can usually get to work. But once there, they may be irritable, fatigued, and have difficulty concentrating. Untreated depression makes it difficult for employees to work well.

Most people do best with depression treatment using psychotherapy, medications, or a combination of both. For treatment-resistant depression, one that does not respond to medication, there are alternative treatments. One example is electroconvulsive therapy or ECT. There is also TMS, transcranial magnetic stimulation, or a novel intranasal ketamine spray.

Show Sources

National Institute of Mental Health: âWhat is Depression?â and “Suicide in the US: Statistics and Prevention.”

The National Womenâs Health Information Center: âDepression.â

National Cancer Institute: âDepression .â

Food and Drug Administration: âThe Lowdown on Depression.â

Mental Health America: âFacts about Depression and Suicide.â

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Pub, 2000.

Fieve, R. Bipolar II, Rodale Books, 2006.

National Alliance on Mental Illness: “The Impact and Cost of Mental Illness: The Case of Depression.”

Read Also: Depressed And No One Cares

Psychological Treatments For Depression

Psychological treatments have been found to be an effective way to treat depression. They can help you change your thinking patterns and improve your coping skills so you’re better equipped to deal with life’s stresses and conflicts.

As well as supporting your recovery, psychological therapies can help you stay well by identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviour.

There are several different types of psychological treatments including:

cognitive behaviour therapy
behaviour therapy
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy .

CBT is one of the most commonly used psychological therapies. It helps people with depression to monitor and change negative patterns of thinking and improve their coping skills so they are better equipped to deal with lifes stresses and conflicts.

What Causes Depression To Occur

Depression is often caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and/or genetic factors. Depression can happen when there are particular changes in the brain or we get stuck in repetitive, negative patterns of thinking. Environmental factors, like job loss, a divorce, or problems at work can also have a major impact on whether someone is prone to depressive episodes.

A bout of depression could happen after a traumatic event or a change of circumstances in ones life. It could also occur because of changes in the brain or from addiction to drugs or alcohol. Depression can happen around the birth of a child, due to menstrual cycle changes, or due to a seasonal change in the weather.

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Is It Depression Or Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, involves serious shifts in moods, energy, thinking, and behavior. Because it looks so similar to depression when in the low phase, it is often overlooked and misdiagnosed. This can be a serious problem as taking antidepressants for bipolar disorder can actually make the condition worse.

If youve ever gone through phases where you experienced excessive feelings of euphoria, a decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, and impulsive behavior, consider getting evaluated for bipolar disorder.

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How Do I Cope With Depression

When youre low, you might just want to crawl under your duvet and stay there the whole day. Things like exams, your friends, your family and work, may feel too huge for you to cope with, but thats nothing to do with your ability its the depression talking.

Once youve seen your doctor you can begin to think about how to cope with depression in your daily life. Try to slowly build these things into your routine. Here are some ideas about how to deal with depression

Eat healthily

It may taste amazing, but eating loads of junk food will make you feel rubbish. Try to eat lots of fruit and veg. You never know, getting creative in the kitchen could be therapeutic in itself.

Get some sleep

Depression can affect your sleep a lot. You may have trouble getting off, or seem to be sleeping all the time. Whichever it is, keep a record of your sleeping patterns and tell your GP if theres a problem.

Spend time with people

Locking yourself away wont help, instead you should try to connect with others. This means looking to your family and friends for support.

Cut down on drugs and booze

Alcohol, drugs, and even lots of caffeine, could make your depression worse.

Wear something that makes you feel good

Dressing up in something fun, expressive and colourful can cheer you up. Theres no need to worry about your appearance, but it might help you feel more like yourself.

Get some exercise

Mindfulness

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How Is Depression Diagnosed

To be diagnosed with depression, an individual must have five depression symptoms every day, nearly all day, for at least 2 weeks. One of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities. Children and adolescents may be irritable rather than sad.

If you think you may have depression, talk to your health care provider. Primary care providers routinely diagnose and treat depression and refer individuals to mental health professionals, such as psychologists or psychiatrists.

During the visit, your provider may ask when your symptoms began, how long they last, how often they occur, and if they keep you from going out or doing your usual activities. It may help to make some notes about your symptoms before your visit. Certain medications and some medical conditions, such as viruses or a thyroid disorder, can cause the same depression symptoms. Your provider can rule out these possibilities by doing a physical exam, interview, and lab tests.

Read NIMHs Tips for Talking With Your Health Care Provider to help prepare for and get the most out of your visit. For additional resources, visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website.

Coping With Depression Tip : Reach Out And Stay Connected

Getting support plays an essential role in overcoming depression. On your own, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy perspective and sustain the effort required to beat depression. At the same time, the very nature of depression makes it difficult to reach out for help. When youre depressed, the tendency is to withdraw and isolate so that connecting to even close family members and friends can be tough.

You may feel too exhausted to talk, ashamed at your situation, or guilty for neglecting certain relationships. But this is just the depression talking. Staying connected to other people and taking part in social activities will make a world of difference in your mood and outlook. Reaching out is not a sign of weakness and it wont mean youre a burden to others. Your loved ones care about you and want to help. And if you dont feel that you have anyone to turn to, its never too late to build new friendships and improve your support network.

Need to talk to someone?

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There Are Many Different Types Of Depression

Depression comes in many forms and can affect people of all ages, genders, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Knowing some of the different types of depression is beneficial in understanding if there have been events or situations that may have caused itand if you should reach out for help.

There are a number of common types of depression.

Depression Is Affecting My Relationships

What Can I Do To Fight My Depression?

Instead of letting depression affect your relationships, talk to your friends, family or partner about how youre feeling. Theyll probably be able to relate to a lot of the things youre going through. They may be thinking: I should be out enjoying myself because everyone else is, just like you.

Read our article about mental health and romantic relationships.

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What You Can Do To Feel Better

When youre depressed, it can feel like theres no light at the end of the tunnel. But there are many things you can do to lift and stabilize your mood. The key is to start with a few small goals and slowly build from there, trying to do a little more each day. Feeling better takes time, but you can get there by making positive choices for yourself.

Reach out to other people. Isolation fuels depression, so reach out to friends and loved ones, even if you feel like being alone or dont want to be a burden to others. The simple act of talking to someone face-to-face about how you feel can be an enormous help. The person you talk to doesnt have to be able to fix you. They just need to be a good listenersomeone wholl listen attentively without being distracted or judging you.

Get moving. When youre depressed, just getting out of bed can seem daunting, let alone exercising. But regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication in countering the symptoms of depression. Take a short walk or put some music on and dance around. Start with small activities and build up from there.

Eat a mood boosting diet. Reduce your intake of foods that can adversely affect your mood, such as caffeine, alcohol, trans fats, sugar and refined carbs. And increase mood-enhancing nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids.

Do I Have Depression Or Am I Just Sad

Its totally normal to get down and have days when you feel really rubbish. That doesnt necessarily mean you have depression. Depression is when these negative feelings wont go away and affect your day-to-day life.

People with depression can feel hopelessly sad. Sometimes it is even possible to be depressed without having the usual miserable feelings. There are lots of different signs that can point to clinical depression the main ones are listed below. Most depressed people only suffer from a few of these feelings and bear in mind depression is different in everyone.

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What Are The Different Antidepressants And How Do They Work

The most commonly prescribed cause changes in brain chemistry that affect how neurons communicate. Exactly how this improves mood remains somewhat of a mystery, but the fact that they do often work is well-established.

SSRIs This category of drug includes Prozac , Celexa , and Zoloft and targets , a neurotransmitter that helps control mood, appetite, and sleep.
SNRIs SNRIs include drugs like Cymbalta , Pristiq , and Effexor XR , which block the reabsorption of both serotonin and another neurotransmitter, .
NDRIs This class of medications includes bupropion.
TCAs include such drugs as Tofranil and Pamelor . 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.
MAOIs MAOIs, including Nardil and , 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.