Treatment for Depression

It is possible that your depression symptoms may go away on their own, however; there is no guarantee they will not resurface and may potentially be worse than the initial depressive episode. Research shows that if you have one depressive episode, you are 50% more likely to have another episode. This risk increases with each subsequent episode - increasing 70% after the second occurrence and 90% after the third. To combat this, there are a few different approaches to treating depression: medication, therapy, and other alternative treatments. It is important to remember that none of these approaches will cure your depression but they can help treat it. 

Medication

Anti-depressant medication changes your brain chemistry to help relieve depression symptoms. The key to remember is that these changes are temporary and are only effective as long as you’re taking anti-depressants. Research has shown that it can take as little as 2-4 weeks before you notice a reduction in depression symptoms. Research has also shown that the more severe your depression, the more likely anti-depressant medication can be useful. 

If you decide anti-depressant medication is the right path for you, it is important to talk with your primary care doctor or psychiatrist about the potential side effects as well as the benefits. Since each brain is different, you won’t know how anti-depressant medication will affect you unless you try it. Be sure to keep in contact with your primary care doctor or psychiatrist regarding the benefits and side effects you experience. Please, please, please if you decide to stop taking your anti-depressant medication, do not stop cold turkey! Talk with your doctor about how to taper off these medications because if you just stop taking them, it can make your depression potentially worse.   

Other treatments

Research has shown that other treatments such as herbal remedies, acupuncture, reflexology, meditation, massage, and yoga can be helpful in reducing your depression. Self-care is also very important in treating your depression. The issue is that when experiencing depression, self-care tends to be the last thing on your mind. Self-care can include: exercising, eating a healthy diet, not using alcohol or caffeine, or seeking out support groups. 

Therapy

Research has shown that there are various different therapy interventions that can help your depression. One of the main therapies used to treat depression is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a therapy that focuses on how your thoughts determine your feelings and behaviors. The goal of CBT is to learn how to identify and challenge your negative or irrational thoughts to better understand how they shape the way you feel and act. CBT involves action plans or assignments for you to complete in-between sessions, which is where the real work happens. Research has shown that committing to CBT action plans or assignments has shown better therapy outcomes. CBT is a therapy that I focus on in my practice and I’ve seen many individuals’ lives improve when using these principles. Please contact me or schedule an appointment so we can discuss how CBT could benefit you. 

You don’t need to suffer! Depression can be very serious and it is not weak to reach out for help. It shows great strength and courage to ask for help. At the end of the day, you are hurting yourself and probably your loved ones by leaving your depression untreated. Don’t wait, seek out treatment! 

Sources:

https://www.verywellmind.com/can-depression-stop-without-treatment-1067582

https://beckinstitute.org/blog/the-new-homework-in-cognitive-behavior-therapy/