Sally (name changed) was the apple of her father’s eye. Her father, a Vietnam War veteran, was always outside of her when she was little. She missed her father, especially on occasions like her birthday, Christmas and Thanksgiving. Life was going well, but tragedy struck on her 13th birthday when she suddenly heard that her father was gone. She had committed suicide by hanging herself in her room. She couldn’t come to terms with the fact that her father had struggled in silence for years with a serious mental health condition. She had become a survivor of a suicide loss and a victim of trauma.
Soon, Sally began experiencing symptoms such as emotional numbing and intrusive distressing memories, the indication of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Over a period of time, she had mastered the art of camouflaging the way she felt. But soon, Sally realized that she was battling depression, which landed her in a mental hospital. It was during the course of her hospital stay that Sally learned something she would never forget for the rest of her life: “Depression is treatable.”
There are many people who do not consider depression a serious mental illness and rarely seek help from a licensed physician. But depression is a real illness with devastating symptoms, which needs proper treatment and support. Depression can affect people of any age, causing different symptoms, such as a persistent feeling of hopelessness and sadness, loss of interest in recreational activities, etc.
Depression is the most common mental disorder in the United States. Primarily classified as mild, moderate, or severe, depression can be very difficult to diagnose. Doctors usually decide the course of treatment after understanding the symptoms and performing specific tests on the patient.
Depression is treatable, it should not be ignored
Depression is a serious mental health condition that, if left untreated, can have devastating consequences. But there is hope as it can be effectively treated by a professional mental health expert. Psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), along with appropriate medication, are some of the proven approaches to treat depression after careful analysis of the underlying factors.
Some of the effective ways to deal with depression are:
- Contact a mental health professional or mental health care provider as soon as possible to assess the mental condition.
- Contact your local health department or community mental health care center for guidance or information on the various options nearby.
- Seek support from local university medical centers, as many of them have special programs for students struggling with depression and anxiety-related problems.
- Contact any of the national health groups to get in touch with your neighborhood mental health professional, as well as get information on various support groups for mental health issues.
A significant number of drug-dependent patients can control their cravings and substantially reduce excessive drug use by administering FDA-approved medications in combination with psychological and social interventions.
Bring joy back into your life
While scientists are studying the existing and potential causes of depression to ensure relevant therapeutic interventions for the treatment of depressed patients, there is a need to educate people about the possible causes of depression and associated psychological disorders. Managing mental disorders can be challenging at any age.