Do I need help for depression?
Unfortunately, people often delay getting help when they feel depressed because they keep expecting to feel better. But if they have depression, that’s not likely to happen.
Depression isn’t the blues. The blues improve on their own and usually in a short time. Depression is a serious mental health condition that persists or gets worse without treatment.
Clinical depression affects how you think, feel, behave, and interact with others. The longer it goes on, the higher your risk of taking time away from work, developing physical health problems, and in some cases, considering suicide.
If your depression lasts two weeks or longer, you should seek help.
During therapy, you may explore the events that trigger depression, identify and change negative thought and behavior patterns, and learn new skills to deal with the challenges in your life.
What symptoms occur if I have depression?
When you’re depressed, you experience symptoms such as:
- Feeling sad, worthless, and hopeless
- Withdrawing from your partner, family, and friends
- Losing interest in the activities you usually enjoy
- Eating more or less than usual
- Gaining or losing weight
- Sleeping more than usual
- Struggling with insomnia
- Having a hard time concentrating
- Being unable to make decisions
- Thinking about suicide
Many people also develop physical symptoms unlinked to an illness. You may have chronic headaches, muscle or joint pain, headaches, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as indigestion, nausea, and diarrhea.
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and sleep habits can significantly impact depression. You need certain nutrients to produce mood-regulating brain chemicals. Exercise boosts the levels of those same chemicals. Your therapist helps you identify lifestyle areas you can change to lift your depression.