Where to find help when depressed

This will help you to continue your treatment outside of appointments. Your therapist can also teach you exercises to reduce stress and anxiety and help you understand your illness. A therapist can also help you create strategies to identify and avoid any triggers that exacerbate your depression. This includes developing coping mechanisms for when you experience these triggers.

Talk therapy may resolve temporary or mild depression. It can often treat severe depression but not without other treatments such as medication. Cognitive therapy aims to determine the negative thoughts and emotions that exacerbate depression. This type of therapy helps people identify these unhelpful though patterns and to turn them into more productive ones. Behavioral therapy seeks to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors.

It functions on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that unhealthy behaviors can be changed. The focus of treatment is often on current problems and how to change them. This type of therapy usually focuses on helping patients engage in activities that will enhance their feelings of well-being. Cognitive behavioral therapy CBT is a type of psychotherapy. This form of therapy modifies thought patterns in order to change moods and behaviors. CBT is a blend of cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy.

It focuses on addressing both the negative thought patterns and the behaviors that contribute to depression. There are a variety of alternative and natural treatments that are often used to treat depression. Sometimes it can be helpful to use complementary or natural treatments for depression alongside traditional ones.

Be sure to check in with your doctor before adding supplements or other complementary treatments to your routine. Organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI offer support groups, education, and other resources to help address depression and other mental health conditions. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America ADAA is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing and treating a variety of mental illnesses, including depression.

The association provides free in-person and virtual support groups in the U. Certain lifestyle changes can help you manage your depression.

These can be used along with treatment from your therapist to get your best results. Avoiding alcohol and substance use can make a big impact on your depression. Some people may feel temporary relief from their depression when consuming alcohol or taking drugs, but once these substances wear off, your symptoms can feel more severe.

They can even make your depression more difficult to treat. Eating nutritious meals and staying physically active can help you feel better all around.

Exercising regularly can increase your endorphins and relieve depression. Getting enough sleep is also essential to both your physical and mental health.

The first step in getting treatment for depression is making an appointment with your general practitioner. They can recommend doctors in your area. Some people prefer faith-based counseling, which incorporates their religion into a treatment plan.

You can also check healthcare databases for therapists, psychiatrists, and counselors. Sharing your feelings with others, or writing them down in a journal to help clear your thoughts. Learning ways to manage stress effectively. Besides lifestyle changes, depression can be managed also through a range of treatment strategies, including medication, counselling or psychological intervention with the help of experts. Treatment needs vary from individual to individual.

If you're suffering from depression, it's best to approach a mental health professional to find out what treatment or combination of treatments is available and suited to you, and with their help, develop an individualised support plan. Remember, depression will not go away by itself. If left untreated, the symptoms are likely to get worse. It is therefore important to seek help early. HealthLine Health Promotion Board's toll-free health information service line that is available in 4 languages T: Mon-Fri: 8.

Institute of Mental Health. Tip: You can use Medisave to pay for part of your outpatient treatment medical bills for depression. This article was last reviewed on Tuesday, August 31, What is Depression? Related: Coping with Depression Symptoms of Depression Depression commonly happens to adults who find difficulty coping with certain life stressors. Some of the life stressors that can increase the risk of depression may include: Relationship problems Financial difficulties Physical illnesses Unemployment Lack of support Loss of a loved one Related: Coping with Bereavement Managing Depression You can keep depression at bay by making a few lifestyle adjustments and taking active steps to improve and manage your mood.

People who are depressed are less likely to be cheered, comforted or consoled. Once a person has been diagnosed and treated for depression, is it likely to return? Of people diagnosed with major depressive disorder, who are treated and recover, at least half are likely to experience a recurrent episode sometime in their future.

It may come soon after or not for many years. It may or may not be triggered by a life event. After several episodes of major depression, a psychiatrist may suggest long-term treatment.

A wide variety of treatments have been proven effective in treating depression. Some involve talking and behavioral change.

Others involve taking medications. There are also techniques that focus on neuromodulation, which incorporates electrical, magnetic or other forms of energy to stimulate brain pathways. Whatever approach is selected, the patient should be a willing and active participant, engaging in psychotherapy or regularly taking the medication, for example.

Total openness is important. You should talk to your doctor about all of your symptoms, important milestones in your life and any history of abuse or trauma. Also tell your doctor about past history of depression or other emotional symptoms in yourself or family members, medical history, medications you are taking — prescribed or over-the-counter, how depression has affected your daily life and whether you ever think about suicide.

Alan Gelenberg, M. Learn More. Search Now. The new Lamar Odom documentary, "Reborn," explores controversial ketamine therapy after the NBA star credited the medication for turning his life around.

Ketamine therapy carries a similar stigma.