What Are The Types Of Major Depression
There are several types of depressive disorders:
Recovering From Depressive Episode
If youve been struggling with depression, time can get really distorted. A couple of weeks can feel like just a few days. While you were healing, the world kept turning.
One of the hardest things about coming out of a depressive episode is going back to the regular state of affairs. Youll probably have to put some things in order once the fog lifts.
Sure, you might be feeling better now, but youre immediately confronted with personal relationships, work responsibilities and other aspects of your life that were neglected.
Is your anxiety building up just thinking about it? Rarely do you hear about the difficult work that comes along with recovering from serious depressive episodes.
Its complicated and some men would prefer the comfort of their depression to the pressure of setting their affairs in order.
It can feel like a spotlight is shining right on you. Well, dont head back into the cave just yet. Check out these helpful tips on how to gently rejoin the rest of the world again.
Final Steps to Completing Your Recovery from a Depressive Episode
1. Being around supportive people You need a strong support system to help get your life back on track. That can be your friends, family, coworkers and therapy partners. You can also find some comfort from a few well-vetted social media friends.
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Recognize The Importance Of Self
Self-care is essential for good physical and mental health. Self-care activities are any actions that help people look after their wellbeing.
Self-care means taking time to relax, recharge, and connect with the self and others. It also means saying no to others when overwhelmed and taking space to calm and soothe oneself.
Basic self-care activities include eating a healthful diet, engaging in creative activities, and taking a soothing bath. But any action that enhances mental, emotional, and physical health can be considered a self-care activity.
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Know The Warning Signs And Tell Them If You See Them
This is another awareness trick. Every depressive episode has its own pattern, and there are often warning signs in the weeks leading up to a major one. Once you’ve known your partner for a while â or they’ve told you what to look out for â you’ll be able to pick up on them.
Patterns include increased sleep, disturbed sleep, increased self-doubt, and talking negatively about themselves, eating less regularly, having anxiety or stress issues, refusing to do things they previously enjoyed, or dropping out halfway through.
Never Use Depressive Episodes As A Weapon
This is a massive no-no. Throwing the fact that they didn’t do something for you because they were depressed in their face may be tempting sometimes, because depression is frustrating and harassing and invades your life â but do not give in to the temptation.
Making depressive partners feel guilty as hell about having depression and what it’s doing to you, a person they love, is a sure-fire trigger and will make things worse. It’s also cruel.
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How Can I Help A Loved One Who Is Depressed
Its important to remember that a person with depression cannot simply “snap out of it.” It is also important to know that he may not recognize his symptoms and may not want to get professional treatment.
If you think someone has depression, you can support him by helping him find a doctor or mental health professional and then helping him make an appointment. Even men who have trouble recognizing that they are depressed may agree to seek help for physical symptoms, such as feeling tired or run down. They may be willing to talk with their regular health professional about a new difficulty they are having at work or losing interest in doing things they usually enjoy. Talking with a primary care provider may be a good first step toward learning about and treating possible depression.
Reassure Them That You Love Them
Even depressive people having treatment will probably feel bad for the burdens they’re putting you through, the impact on your sex life and the other minor havoc they think they’re wreaking. They’ll need you to tell them it’s OK.
It’s good to make sure this doesn’t slip into a pattern, through. Try this: whenever it comes up, mention you’re only going to say the reassurance once. That way you won’t be repeating yourself all afternoon: once can be all it takes.
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Don’t Take Their Moods Personally
It’s hard to believe, but serious clinical depression has nothing to do with you. A partner having a depressive episode isn’t trying to insult you or make you feel lonely, and it’s not fair for you to feel like a failure for not “snapping them out” of it.
Try to think of it as medically as possible. There are triggers to depression, as with any disease: periods of dwelling on their situation, dropping out of treatment, anniversaries of bad things, being harshly judged, or feeling severely stressed. Sometimes it just comes out of nowhere. And unless you’re triggering it, it’s not your fault.
Ways To Cope With Depression
Recovering from and coping with depression take time. Here are some practical tips to help you fight back against depression.
Recovering from depression takes time. The new habits and skills you learn now will you help throughout your life.
Battling depression is tough. Thankfully, there are many ways you can fight depression.
What works one day may not work as well the next, so you want as many tools in the toolbox to adapt and handle whatever depression throws your way. Similar to how symptoms of depression overlap and affect each other, some of the tips below overlap and can help address multiple symptoms.
Here are some tips for coping with depression:
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Be A Safe Space To Talk About It
One of the most important things you, as a partner, can provide a depressed partner is a safe, nonjudgemental space for them to talk about their mental illness and how they’re feeling. Ask them questions and try to understand what they’re feeling.
This doesn’t mean you have to be up for talking about it all the time. You have boundaries too, and your own problems, and it can sometimes feel as if just being a little sad doesn’t deserve as much air time as a full-blown illness. But be aware that this is not a competition.
What Is Treatment Resistant Depression And Is There Any Help For It
If youve tried at least two different antidepressants and your depression hasnt improved, you may be diagnosed with treatment resistant depression . TRD is a serious condition that has been highly associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Nearly 33 percent of people with TRD attempt suicide in their lifetime, more than double the rate of their treatment-responsive peers, according to a recent report in Psychiatry Advisor. It is not, however, a hopeless condition. A number of alternative treatment approaches are available, including:
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Tip : Get A Daily Dose Of Sunlight
Sunlight can help boost serotonin levels and improve your mood. Whenever possible, get outside during daylight hours and expose yourself to the sun for at least 15 minutes a day. Remove sunglasses and use sunscreen as needed.
- Take a walk on your lunch break, have your coffee outside, enjoy an al fresco meal, or spend time gardening.
- Double up on the benefits of sunlight by exercising outside. Try hiking, walking in a local park, or playing golf or tennis with a friend.
- Increase the amount of natural light in your home and workplace by opening blinds and drapes and sitting near windows.
- If you live somewhere with little winter sunshine, try using a light therapy box.
Other Ways To Help Include:
- Offering him support, understanding, patience, and encouragement
- Listening carefully and talking with him
- Never ignoring comments about suicide, and alerting his therapist or doctor
- Helping him increase his level of physical and social activity by inviting him out for hikes, games, and other events. If he says, no, keep trying, but don’t push him to take on too much too soon.
- Encouraging him to report any concerns about medications to his health care provider
- Ensuring that he gets to his doctor’s appointments
- Reminding him that with time and treatment, the depression will lift
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Ok Im Feeling Depressed So Now What
Now that you know the symptoms of depression, some positive coping skills can be useful. All of the following techniques are supported by scientific research and medication prescribers like psychiatrists and these skills are frequently recommended as important parts of treatment even for patients who continue to take antidepressant medications.
WARNING: Do not suddenly go off your prescribed antidepressant medications without first talking to your medical provider. Discuss any questions or concerns about the side effects of your medications with your provider. ;;
Signs And Symptoms: How To Identify Depression
If sadness alone isnt a good gauge of depression, what is? According to the American Psychiatric Associations current;Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , which is the diagnostic guide used by most mental health professionals, if youve experienced at least five of the following symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks, you may be diagnosed with major depressive disorder , also known as clinical depression.
Do you:
- Constantly feel tearful, empty, or worthless?
- Have little interest or pleasure in your work, hobbies, friends, family, and other things you once enjoyed?
- Notice dramatic changes up or down in your appetite or your weight not related to dieting?
- Often feel listless or fatigued for no obvious reason?
- Have trouble concentrating or making decisions?
- Find yourself wringing your hands, pacing, or showing other signs of anxious restlessness or the opposite, moving or speaking more slowly than usual?
- Struggle with insomnia or sleep too much?
- Have recurrent thoughts of suicide or death?
To be diagnosed with MDD, one of your symptoms must be a persistent low mood or a loss of interest or pleasure, the DSM-5 states. Your symptoms must also not be due to substance abuse or a medical condition, such as thyroid problems, a brain tumor, or a vitamin deficiency.
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Tip : Eat A Healthy Depression
What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Reduce your intake of foods that can adversely affect your brain and mood, such as caffeine, alcohol, trans fats, and foods with high levels of chemical preservatives or hormones .
Dont skip meals. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something at least every three to four hours.
Minimize sugar and refined carbs. You may crave sugary snacks, baked goods, or comfort foods such as pasta or French fries, but these feel-good foods quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy. Aim to cut out as much of these foods as possible.
Boost your B vitamins. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folic acid and B-12 can trigger depression. To get more, take a B-complex vitamin supplement or eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs.
Boost your mood with foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.Omega-3 fatty acids play an essential role in stabilizing mood. The best sources are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, tuna, and some cold-water fish oil supplements.
When To Get Help For Depression
Depression is treatable and symptoms can improve with therapy, lifestyle changes, and in some cases medications. If you have been struggling with the symptoms of depressionespecially if they are disrupting your regular habits around sleeping or eatingits a good idea to reach out to a physician or mental health professional for support in figuring out what kind of treatment is right for you. While it may feel overwhelming, its important to seek professional help to manage depression. If left untreated, depression can get worse, and mild cases of depression can become more severe over time.
If you think a friend may be struggling with depression, talk with them about what youve noticed, and remember not to blame them for what they are experiencing. Blame will only increase their negative feelings and worsen their symptoms. Instead, encourage them to seek professional help.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts or thinking about attempting suicide, reach out for support immediately. You can text START to 741741 or call 1-800-273-TALK to chat with a trained counselor anytime. If you believe you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Depression
While we usually think of depression as feeling sad or down for a long period of time, the symptoms of depression can vary. Symptoms include:
- Constantly feeling sad, empty, or hopeless
- Changes in appetite that are unrelated to diet goals, such as eating too little or too much
- Changes in sleeping patterns that can range from insomnia to sleeping too much
- Feeling fatigue or a lack of energy
- Losing interest or losing pleasure in your usual hobbies
- Feeling restless, irritable or frustrated, even over small issues
- Having trouble concentrating or remembering things
- Feeling guilty, worthless, or like you are not enough
- Frequently having thoughts of death or suicide.;These can range from expressing thoughts like, I wish I were dead, to making plans about how you would end your life.
Depression can also have physical symptoms, like unexplained frequent headaches, stomach aches, or back aches. There are many medical issues with symptoms that are similar to the symptoms of depression, including chronic pain, migraines, and thyroid disorders. If you are experiencing these symptoms for an extended period of time with no relief, consulting a physician can help you determine whether you are experiencing a physical or mental health issue.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and dont know how to get started treating them, you can text START to 741741 or call 1-800-273-TALK for a free and confidential conversation at any time.
Other Ways To Help Someone With Bipolar Disorder
You can also support your loved one by:
Learning about bipolar disorder. Learn everything you can about the symptoms and treatment options. The more you know about bipolar disorder, the better equipped youll be to help your loved one and keep things in perspective.
Encouraging the person to get help. The sooner bipolar disorder is treated, the better the prognosis, so urge your loved one to seek professional help right away. Dont wait to see if they will get better without treatment.
Being understanding. Let your friend or family member know that youre there if they need a sympathetic ear, encouragement, or assistance with treatment. People with bipolar disorder are often reluctant to seek help because they dont want to feel like a burden to others, so remind the person that you care and that youll do whatever you can to help.
Showing patience. Getting better takes time, even when a person is committed to treatment. Dont expect a quick recovery or a permanent cure. Be patient with the pace of recovery and prepare for setbacks and challenges. Managing bipolar disorder is a lifelong process.
The importance of support in bipolar disorder recovery
People with bipolar disorder do better when they have support from family members and friends. They tend to recover more quickly, experience fewer manic and depressive episodes, and have milder symptoms.
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Spend Time With Friends And Find A Support Group
Becoming isolated tends to worsen and prolong a depressive episode. Have some close friends check on you if they dont hear from you. Depression makes it hard to pick up the phone to call a friend. Find a support group, possibly through the National Alliance on Mental Illness or through your local hospital.
What Is A Depressive Episode
This is a duration in which a person suffers from a depressed mood or a deep unwavering sadness. It is most often characterized by feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, worthlessness, guilt, and irritability. It may also affect your decision making power and cause problems concentrating.
A depressive episode could span a few hours or could be the cause of consistent misery for up to two weeks. A recent study shows that 16.2 million people in the United States alone have experienced a major depressive episode in the past year.
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Realize That These Feelings Wont Last
Allowing myself to feel the depression and accept its presence alleviates some of my suffering.
One of the hardest features of depression is that it makes you think it will never end. Which is what makes the onset so scary. A difficult piece of my work in therapy has been accepting that I have a mental illness and building my ability to tolerate it when it flares up.
As much as I wish it would, depression wont just disappear. And somehow, as counterintuitive as it seems, allowing myself to feel the depression and accept its presence alleviates some of my suffering.
For me, the symptoms dont last forever. I have made it through depression before and, as gut-wrenching as it was, I can do it again. I tell myself that it is OK to feel sad, angry, or frustrated.