Major & Minor Depression Help

This is one of the most formidable types of depression.  It is a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to eat, sleep, and generally enjoy life.  People struggling with Major Depressive Disorder will typically report a loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, and a general inability to engage with life as they would prefer.  It is truly a debilitating disorder which can leave people feeling virtually unable to overcome a sense of inertia.  Completing even the smallest of daily tasks becomes a seemingly impossible challenge and people report feeling overwhelmed and often hopeless that they will ever feel better.

The symptoms associated with Major Depressive Disorder must be present for at least two weeks to be considered a true diagnosis.  Some people will have only one episode of this type of depression in their lifetime, while many others will experience a recurrence of this extremely troubling and disruptive problem.

What To Do?

While it may seem inevitable that Depression will sneak up on most of us at some time in our lives, surrendering the best parts of our lives to this challenging disorder is not a given.  There are many ways to take an active approach to understanding and treating Depression for ourselves and the people we love.

Treatment of Depression

There are several proven treatments to help with depression.  There is no need to struggle along all alone, hoping that things do not get worse.  Help is available and can alleviate symptoms relatively quickly, even if full recovery takes a bit of time, the beginnings of relief are not far away.

Talking to someone is the best first step.  There is a good chance that talking to almost anyone about depression will reveal an understanding response, often with a shared story of another experience of depression.  Almost all of us have connections with some form of depression or love someone who has struggled with depression.  When we begin talking about depression, we learn that we are not alone and that help is out there.

Many medications are available to help treat depression and a conversation with your doctor will allow you to discuss the options.  While medication is not necessary to treat most depression, in some cases, it is absolutely essential to starting to get well.

Counselling and, in particular, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, have been proven to be very effective in treating most forms of depression.  Some clients prefer to learn ‘skills’ rather than simply take ‘pills’ to deal with depression and the right counselling can definitely make a big difference.  In most cases, a counsellor will help to identify problematic patterns in thinking, assist in building new skills, and provide a supportive environment to explore the root of depression.  In all cases, a positive relationship with a counsellor, where you feel heard, understood, and accepted will improve how you feel, almost immediately.

Generally speaking, a combination of medication and counselling will result in the best outcomes in the shortest amount of time.  Should clients prefer a counselling approach that does not use medication, this is certainly an option that can be discussed with your counsellor and / or your doctor.