Psychotherapy is also known as talk therapy or psychological therapy. Different types of psychotherapy can be effective for depression, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy. Your mental health professional may also recommend other types of therapies.
Along with therapy and sometimes medication, there's a lot you can do on your own to fight back. Changing your behavior -- your physical activity, lifestyle, and even your way of thinking -- are all natural depression treatments. These tips can help you feel better -- starting right now.
Each person's recovery is different. Some recover in a few weeks or months. But for others, depression is a long-term illness. In about 20% to 30% of people who have an episode of depression, the symptoms don't entirely go away.
Coping skills can help you get through moments when you're feeling depressed. Whether you start a gratitude journal, practice meditation, or spend time with a funny friend, there are many ways to lift your spirits. Using coping skills is often only part of the process of recovering from depression.
Usually, the depressive episode length ranges from six months to eight months, depending on the person. While some people may have depression that fades, others may struggle with depression on and off their whole life. Also, different types of depression go away with time and are more short-lived by nature.
While people with depression can experience severe lows at any point during the day, many experience worse symptoms in the morning. When this happens, a person may find their energy and motivation is so low that even the act of getting out of bed early in the day feels impossible.
Depression creates a sensation of isolation as if you are lost in the wilderness with no direction. The final stage is acceptance, which means you have finally made peace with the reality of your mental illness.
Many people who experience depression will fully recover. Many others will find some level of relief from their symptoms. There is no quick fix for depression, but there is great hope for healing. The fight is worth it – the capacity to flourish in life after depression is there.
Clinical depression is a chronic condition, but it usually occurs in episodes, which can last several weeks or months. You'll likely have more than one episode in your lifetime. This is different from persistent depressive disorder, which is mild or moderate depression that lasts for at least two years.
Answer From Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D. Depression ranges in seriousness from mild, temporary episodes of sadness to severe, persistent depression.
Most mental health experts agree that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is the best treatment for depression (also called major depressive disorder and/or clinical depression).
There's no single cause of depression. It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers. For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause. Different causes can often combine to trigger depression.
Depression makes everyday tasks feel overwhelming and the motivation to do anything at all, very challenging. Depressed people often isolate themselves socially. Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the US.
Medications. Antidepressants are medications commonly used to treat depression. They take time to work—usually 4 to 8 weeks—and symptoms such as problems with sleep, appetite, or concentration often improve before mood lifts. It is important to give medication a chance before deciding whether or not it works.
The four types of depression are situational, biological, psychological and existential, each of which has its own primary causes. These classifications often overlap and are meant to add insight to diagnosis and treatment.
Two main factors contributing to the rise in the number of people with depression are social media and the home environment.