Depression is a mood disorder that makes you lose the motivation to do anything, hopeless, and as a result, dysfunctional across many areas of life. Being diagnosed with depression or considering you may have depression can be shocking for anyone. Before we learn how to deal with depression and when to seek help, here is a list of criteria from the DSM-V. To help you identify what you’re going through, the signs of depression are:-
-Depressed, Sad, or Melancholic mood
–Loss of interest or pleasure in most activities
-Changes in weight and appetite
-Insomnia or Hypersomnia
–Feelings of Worthlessness or Guilt
–Decreased Concentration or Fatigue
If you can identify most of these symptoms, including a depressed mood and a loss of pleasure in most activities, you might be suffering from depression. However, it is not advisable to self-diagnose. We recommend a psychiatric assessment of your condition, even if you want to recover from depression without medication. Recovery can be challenging, but it is not impossible. Many treatment plans and therapy types help heal depression(see Types of Therapy).
Many people have pursued more significant mental health and overcome their disorders or illnesses by making minor changes which snowballed into fantastic results for their physical and psychological health and overall life satisfaction. Following are some vital habits that you can also incorporate into your daily routine with little effort.
1. Incorporate exercise into your routine
Exercise has proven health benefits for various mental illnesses and strengthens your body’s immune system. It is one of the best habits to work toward and one of the foundations of a holistic lifestyle.
2. Maintain a proper sleep schedule
Sleep is an essential component of your day. You can say that your sleep determines your quality of life. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule will benefit you in more ways than one, as your productivity will skyrocket, and your physical and mental health will improve.
3. Harness the Power of Meditation
Meditation is a habit with proven benefits for stress, anxiety, emotional health, attention span, and overall mental health. You can make time for meditation in your day right after waking up, before sleeping, or as your routine demands. The best thing about meditation is it can be done anywhere, anytime through various techniques and only requires your conscious intent.
4. Follow a Nutritional Diet
Besides exercise, eating healthy and organic food may also aid your immunity and help you fight depression. Some healthy eating practices include mindful eating and monitoring your daily nutritional intake.
5. Use Remedies For a Natural Recovery
There are many natural remedies for depression, but some carry possible side effects or health risks. It is advisable not to consume the remedies that may delay or interfere with the treatment of depression. Some herbal remedies for depression that are risk-free and backed up by research include:-
-Chamomile Tea: Enjoy your evening tea while moving toward a calm, collected, and mentally healthy existence.
-Ginseng: Nurture and grow your mental wellness with a tree.
-Lavender: Use the wisdom of aroma therapy to sweeten your self-care routine with lavender.
-Saffron: You can smell it, drink it, add it to your food, and use saffron for an exotic experience.
It is beneficial to make these activities a part of your daily routine; they can aid and, in some cases, lead to a full recovery. On the other hand, you may discover that depression is a challenging condition to fight and find yourself asking, “How to know when to get help for depression?”
It is essential to acknowledge your efforts and feelings in this case. Not being able to recover from the condition easily does not make you any lesser than someone who does. Everyone is different and has different circumstances. Realizing your uniqueness will help you gain balance and work on yourself more effectively. You can see treatment as an investment for your future self. By giving up a little time to therapy today, you will be rewarded with greater clarity, self-awareness, and mental health throughout your life.
When to get help for depression?
You might suffer more if you don’t know when to get help for depression. As it’s hard to identify whether your symptoms will worsen, you might brush off seeking preventive help. So how(and when) to get help when depressed? Here are some criteria you can go through to discover whether it’s time for you to seek therapeutic help and medication and seek the answers for yourself:-
-Your symptoms are no longer confined to repeating depressive moods but have lasted more than half a day or sometimes a whole day for an extended period.
-Your symptoms and lack of motivation adversely affect your relationships, work, and overall life satisfaction.
-You find yourself having suicidal thoughts frequently.
If you fit these three criteria or even one of them, seeking professional help immediately is recommended. That being said, finding a good therapy service or therapy is challenging. Here is our list of online platforms where you can receive quality care and improve your mental health.
Now that we’ve identified the need for therapy, let us look at how to get help when depressed. The following section focuses on different modes of treatment that may aid you through recovery. However, remember that you should make decisions regarding treatment after talking to a counselor.
1. Based on the treatment method
A. Cognitive Therapy – This type of therapy, as the name suggests, works on perception or cognition. It breaks down the thought process of the depressed person. Depressed people often have a negative inner monologue and tend to drag themselves down. Cognitive therapy targets negative thinking analyzes it and eventually changes how you think.
B. Behavioral Therapy – Behavioral therapy works on your behavior. It sees which activities make you happier and which make you depressed or likely to stay depressed. Then a plan is structured by a professional, following which you pursue uplifting activities more and slowly reduce your exposure to depressing activities. This form of therapy is catered to your needs and lifestyle and may help those who prefer actionable results.
C. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT) – CBT is a blend of the two therapeutic modes discussed above. It works on your thoughts and actions simultaneously, hence being the preferred option for therapy by many. It is also easier to switch from the former two treatments to CBT, making it a flexible choice with a personal treatment plan based on your needs.
D. Dialectical Behavior Therapy(DBT) – DBT has been shown to have positive benefits for depression across many cases. It works more flexibly by providing you with many options for growth and development through different practices they can work on. Some of these include mindfulness, emotional regulation, and learning to tolerate distress. It is often undertaken with support groups, increasing effectiveness.
E. Psychodynamic Therapy – What typically comes to mind when you think of therapy? For most people, it would be the image of a patient lying on a couch, talking about their lives and problems while the therapist listens studiously and scribbles essential things in his notebook. This therapy involves the activities mentioned above and is based on Freudian psychoanalysis. While it may seem less practical in theory, this therapy can help you delve into complex emotions and perhaps reach the root cause of your depression.
F. Interpersonal Therapy – This type of therapy explores how improving your relationships, and social functioning can aid your mental health and help you recover from depression by adjusting to society.
G. Medication Supplemented Therapy: While there is a more significant mental health awareness among individuals and communities these days, it is not advisable to self-medicate. This is because medicine’s effectiveness and proper functioning depend on various factors. Before choosing the right medication plan, you may want to have a complete physical health checkup and consult a psychiatrist about the effectiveness of medication in your case.
2. Based on the number of people involved
A. Individual Therapy: Individual therapy for depression is preferable if you don’t want to or cannot involve yourself with a support group or bring those close to you in your treatment plan.
In individual therapy, a licensed professional provides insights specialized to you. They may help guide you through other mental health problems you may be facing as well. You can reserve your privacy this way, though it may be more expensive than the alternatives.
B. Peer support or Group Therapy: Peer support therapy is gaining a more significant influence these days, and for a good reason. Support groups provide you with a place where you belong and can speak openly about your issues. You can also socialize and learn from others who have gone through the same things you are experiencing.
C. Couples or Family Therapy: If the depression is related to or partly caused by changes in the relationship status of the patient with their immediate family or significant other, these types of therapy might be helpful. The people around you play an essential role in your health and well-being, and their understanding and involvement in your treatment might aid a quicker recovery.
Family Constellation Therapy(FCT) explores the role of family relationships in contributing to depression. It is recommended, especially in cases where depression is caused or aggravated by genetics or family history.
When & How To get help When Depressed?
You can try to get help for depression as soon as possible, especially if you aren’t diagnosed. In this case, undergoing a diagnosis or psychiatric evaluation to find whether you have depression is essential. Many mental health conditions share some symptoms in common, and some physical problems cause similar symptoms. Hence, it may be possible to confuse depression with another mental illness, even for the experts.
Conclusion
Knowing how to get help when depressed is vital for all patients. You can establish healthy habits and use natural remedies to fight this condition. You can also opt for therapeutic service, gain greater self-awareness and insight, and perhaps become part of a community that supports you. We wish you the best of luck on your road to recovery. Remember not to rush and enjoy the trip, as good mental health is more of a journey than a destination. Here are some of the best motivational podcasts to keep yourself determined through tough times.
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