While “the blues” come and go in everyone’s life, depression is a serious illness that can affect nearly every facet of your life. If you suspect that you are suffering from depression, here are some ways that you can address your feelings and start down the road toward recovery.
Suffering From Depression | I Need a Therapist
If you feel depressed suddenly or for more than a week, seek professional help promptly. You may be suffering from depression, and you don’t have to “wait it out” or try to dig yourself out on your own. A therapist, psychiatrist or psychologist can help you cope through medication, counseling or a combination of these approaches. If you have thoughts of harming yourself or others, however, you should seek IMMEDIATE help. Go to the emergency room, call yourself an ambulance, or ask a trusted friend or relative to get you professional assistance.
Confide in supportive friends or family. Muddling through a bout of depression alone can make everything feel even more bleak, so having a support network in place is a smart idea. These trusted loved ones can assist you in finding help or with caring for yourself or your family while you are being treated. Depression is more common than you might think, and the perspective of those who have been through it themselves and have made it to the other side can be especially helpful during this time.
Find your “happy place.” That might sound like frivolous advice, but having a relaxing, serene location that you can visit is a healthy way to boost your mood and get you out of the house. Perhaps you like to run at an empty track, visit residents of a nursing home, stroll though your favorite park, or sit at a quiet coffee shop; no matter where your special spot is, frequent visits can help you get through each day, week, and month.
Avoid Using Alcohol or Drugs
At least those that are not prescribed to you–as crutches. While using substances may temporarily lift your mood or numb you to your depression, they will never chase it away. If you become addicted to alcohol, prescription drugs or other substances, the withdrawal symptoms may actually compound your depression, making it even more difficult to get well.
Above all, remind yourself every day that you are not alone, and that your depression is not your fault. Suffering from depression is a disease that affects millions of people every year, and most of the time, it occurs without any rhyme or reason. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and while that can be hard to see in the thick of a depressive fog, that shred of hope can help you tackle each day as it comes.
It’s normal to feel sad now and then, but when constant feelings of hopelessness and despair creep in, you are probably suffering from depression. Use the coping strategies in this article to find help and deal with your feelings as you recover from your illness, and always remember that it truly does get better.