Being depressed is like living under a dark cloud, it seems to follow wherever you go. However, depression treatment is available. If your fits of depression are getting you down, there are options that range from therapy to medications to lifestyle changes.
Exploring the treatment options:
With depression, there is no “one size fits all,” treatment. What seems to work with one individual may or may not work for another. The best thing for any suffering with bouts of depression is to know what’s available and how you can best use it.
Tips for depression treatment:
* Learn everything you can. There are many reasons for depression, it is important to know what the reason is. If it is a medical issue, that needs correction first, the severity is a factor, the deeper the depression, the more intensive the treatment that will be required.
* Take the time to find the right treatment: It may take a bit of trial and error before you find out what works best. If you go the route of therapy, it may take time to find the right therapist. If you take an anti-depressant, can it be replaced with an outdoor activity?
* Don’t rely exclusively on medications: Medications may give some relief of the symptoms but rarely are they a long-term solution. Often, exercise and therapy can be equal to or better than medication, and there are no side effects.
* Get social support: If you are depressed and you feel hopeless, do not hesitate to talk to family or friends or to seek new help in the form of a support group. Asking for help does not indicate a weakness.
* Time and commitment: Regardless of what you end up doing, it will take time. It may be frustrating and slow, but recovery is the target and a few hits and misses along the way are to be expected.
Lifestyle changes are simple tools but very powerful at the same time. At times, depression can be overcome just by changing certain habits, and even if you need depression treatment, these lifestyle changes may hold future fits of depression at bay.
* Exercise: Regular exercise is often as beneficial as medication. Exercise boosts endorphins and other chemicals in the body which act as “feel-good” stimuli. A half-hour walk every day helps trigger the growth of new brain cells, the same as anti-depressants.
* Nutrition: Eating well is important. Eat small, nutritious, balanced meals, they help you maintain your energy level and boost your spirits.
* Sleep: Sleep has a strong effect on a person’s mood. If you have a sleep disorder, your depression will worsen. Aim for a minimum of seven hours of solid sleep every night.
If lifestyle changes do not work, then you are well advised to seek depression treatment. Start with your primary-care physician and if he feels it necessary, he will recommend someone who can treat mental illness.
Depression treatment is one of the specialties of the doctors and staff of University Behavioral Health, Denton. As a private facility, they can provide support and compassion for those suffering from mental disorders.
