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How to Treat Depression
Depression is a serious disorder that can affect a person’s life, including their work, relationships, health and mood. It can lead to feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and guilt. It can also cause self-harm or even suicide.
Depression occurs when the brain doesn’t produce enough of certain chemicals in the brain, known as neurotransmitters. This imbalance can happen for many reasons, such as genetics, stressful life events and medical conditions.
If you’re depressed, it’s important to get help as soon as possible. The sooner you seek treatment, the faster you’ll feel better.
It’s common for people to feel depressed for months or years before they reach out for help, so it’s important to talk with a doctor right away. This will help them diagnose you and find the best way to treat your depression.
A doctor may order a mental health exam and medical history to confirm your symptoms. These exams will look for changes in your behaviour and thinking patterns. They’ll also check for a medical cause for your depression (reversing this would alleviate the symptoms).
The most effective treatments include talking therapy and medication. They can help you change negative thinking patterns and improve your coping skills so you can cope better with life’s stressors and conflicts.
There are several types of psychological therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy and family therapy. They can be used alone or in combination with medication.
Lifestyle changes are also helpful in the treatment of depression. They can reduce the severity of your depression and prevent it from coming back. These can include getting more sleep, eating well and exercising regularly.
Your therapist should work with you to find the best way to treat your depression. They’ll help you learn to identify and manage your symptoms, and help you develop a support system.
They’ll also teach you how to set healthy boundaries and maintain positive self-care habits. They’ll also teach you ways to stay positive and avoid triggers that can make your depression worse.
Children with depression can benefit from both group and individual therapy sessions. They may prefer to meet with their therapist one-on-one, since they’re likely to be more comfortable discussing sensitive topics that are hard for them to express in groups.
In addition to therapy, medication for depression can be helpful for some children and adolescents. The most common medications are antidepressants called SSRIs and SNRIs. These medicines affect the brain’s neurotransmitters and can help ease depression-related symptoms.
Keep in mind that it can take 4 to 6 weeks for antidepressants to have a full effect. You should take your medication consistently and at the correct dose, and never stop taking it without your therapist’s approval.
Your therapist will also be able to recommend other treatments to help you get relief from your symptoms, such as exercise or meditation. Be sure to tell your therapist about any side effects you’re experiencing, as they can be very uncomfortable and even dangerous.
