It may be the case that you need to try a few different types of antidepressants before you find one that works. In some cases, if your depression symptoms are extremely severe as mine were , your doctor may refer you to a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists are doctors that specialize in mental health and the treatment of mental health disorders such as depression.
While therapists help people address the cause of their problems, psychiatrists prescribe and monitor medications to control symptoms. Fortunately, when I started treatment, including cognitive behavioral therapy and going on antidepressants, things began to turn around.
It took a few tries to find an antidepressant that worked. Since they can take six weeks to kick in, the process of finding an antidepressant that worked for me took a little over 12 weeks. Once I found one that worked, I noticed my mood improved, and I was able to think more clearly about things. This newfound clarity made my therapy sessions much more effective. While I still experience depression symptoms, I feel that after one year of treatment, from my very first therapy session to now, my life is finally at a point where my feelings are relatively normal.
In hospital we learned why it was important to fill our days with routine that resulted in Body Care exercise, healthy eating, rest, treating the illness , Achievement work, chores, study , Connection friends, family, community , and Enjoyment play, fun, pleasure. A routine that covers all four BACEs releases the good chemicals in the brain: exercise releases endorphins , achievement releases dopamine , connecting with people releases oxytocin , and physical activity releases serotonin.
Filling out this BACE worksheet became a simple way to think about self-care and the different biopsychosocial bits in a concrete way. In hospital, side effects from trying many different medication combinations was sometimes more uncomfortable than the depression itself. Depression wants me all to itself. Depression says I deserve to be alone. Depression knows I can't get out of bed or shower to get ready for a commitment ceremony.
Depression says, "Don't worry! I'll come to you. Now when I feel like hiding from everyone, I ask myself if it's because depression wants me to stay unwell. When family, friends, colleagues reach out to see if I'm OK, I remind myself that once I'm spending time with them — Connection, Enjoyment — I generally feel better. I also remind myself that it's all the people around me — family, friends, colleagues, nurses, doctors, specialists — and their companionship, unwavering care, and kindnesses that make it possible to live a life and not merely endure a condition.
Mine are extreme tiredness, avoidance, cancelling plans, isolating, and letting self-care slip — not eating properly, not being able to shower because I can't move, not being able to leave the house. It's helpful to tell people I trust what my signs are — it increases the chances of getting help sooner if others observe a change in my behaviour before I do. I can even plan ahead and be specific about how I'd like to be told about this, for example a text message, a chat over coffee, a message iced on a cake "Early warning signs!
On the 17th day in hospital I wrote in my notebook: "I think the sad thing is you lose a sense of dignity for yourself. The depressed mind a can't do the things it knows are good for itself, b will beat itself up over this failure, c appreciates the irony of these two things on a good day. Sometimes now I pause and ask myself, "Is this the depression? Talking to a psychologist, reading about helpful strategies, exploring digital mental health treatment such as Mindspot — this all helps too.
For a long time, I suppressed uncomfortable emotions like sadness, thinking that would mean the depression would go away. But it turns out when we suppress one emotion, we also suppress our ability to feel all other emotions, like joy.
It meant that for a long time I'd avoid things that moved me deeply — like music — in case they made me too emotional. Now I know emotions exist to tell us important things about ourselves and the situation we're in, for example, what we need, what we value, what we love. In hospital I thought of this line often. I knew about the big things — taking medication, seeing the doctors. Cigarettes and alcohol may seem to help at first, but they make things worse in the long run.
Be extra cautious with cannabis. You might think it's harmless, but research has shown a strong link between cannabis use and mental illness, including depression. If your depression is caused by working too much or if it's affecting your ability to do your job, you may need time off to recover.
However, there's evidence to suggest that taking prolonged time off work can make depression worse. There's also quite a bit of evidence to support that going back to work can help you recover from depression. Read more about returning to work after having mental health issues. It's important to avoid too much stress, and this includes work-related stress.
If you're employed, you may be able to work shorter hours or work in a more flexible way, particularly if job pressures seem to trigger your symptoms.
Under the Equality Act , all employers must make reasonable adjustments to make the employment of people with disabilities possible. This can include people who've been diagnosed with a mental illness.
Read more about how to beat stress at work. If you're unable to work as a result of your depression, you may be eligible for a range of benefits, depending on your circumstances. These include:. It's not just the person with depression who's affected by their illness. The people close to them are also affected.
If you're caring for someone with depression, your relationship with them and family life in general can become strained. You may feel at a loss as to what to do. Finding a support group and talking to others in a similar situation might help. If your antidepressant is making you feel worse or causing side effects that are impacting your quality of life, speak to your doctor. Sometimes a change in medication is all you need to start feeling better. It may take time, but with the right combination of treatment, support, and lifestyle habits, you can feel like your old self again.
Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor's appointment. If you have feelings of depression that don't seem to be getting better, or are getting worse, talk to your doctor. Your treatment plan may need to be changed. Here are a few common symptoms of depression to watch for:.
Undiagnosed and untreated depression can get worse and stop you from living a fulfilling life. So, if you have these symptoms for two weeks or more, or if you are being treated for depression and these symptoms are not getting any better, be sure to consult a mental health professional for help.
Depression can impact every area of your life, so it's helpful to know whether the treatment you are using is working for your type of depression and its level of severity. If you ever feel like your depression is not getting better, talk to your doctor.
Many potential remedies exist. It's just a matter of finding the right one for you. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
Everything feels more challenging when you're dealing with depression. Get our free guide when you sign up for our newsletter. Functional recovery in major depressive disorder: Providing early optimal treatment for the individual patient. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. Lifestyle medicine for depression. BMC Psychiatry ;14 An everyday activity as a treatment for depression: The benefits of expressive writing for people diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
J Affect Disord. Assessment of the severity of primary depressive illness: Wakefield self-assessment depression inventory.
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