Here’s the important thing to remember about treating depression – the sooner, the better.
I’ve been working with depressed patients over the past 40 years. In my personal experience, the longer you’ve been depressed, the longer it takes to recover. But getting help early on makes overcoming depression much easier.
Generally, I recommend that when you experience your first episode of depression, you should immediately reach out for help to minimize the chances it becomes more entrenched. Together, you & your mental health counselor can get to the bottom of the matter and provide therapy to get rid of the source of trouble.
Getting help early on in depression can lessen your chances of developing major depression or “Major Depressive Disorder”.
Symptoms of Depression:
You may be having an “Episode” of depression if you are experiencing at least 5 of the following:
- Your “significant other” thinks you’re depressed
- Absence of self-esteem
- Thoughts of harming yourself
- Discouraged mood
- Lethargy in behavior or mannerisms
- Loss of interest in things which used to bring you joy
- Always tired, fatigued
- Weight loss caused by lack of appetite
- Inability to concentrate or make decisions
- Chronic insomnia, or sleeping too much
You can have an “Episode” of Depression, or Major Depressive Episode without being Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder.
Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder:
- All of the above, plus:
- It’s gone on for 2 weeks or more
- It significantly affects your work or social life
- Not caused by drug use
- Not be caused by grief
If you are going through depression, I can help. Don’t wait for things to get worse. The sooner we can work together to get things back on track, the better.
Make an appointment and we can get started returning hope, positive self esteem, and joy to your life.