Everyone experiences depressive emotions throughout their lifetime. Comprehending, combatting, and coping with depression can contribute to a happier life. Depression can vary through different diagnoses and agonizing feelings of gloom. Understanding depressive symptoms is imperative to personalizing the steps one must take to minimize escalating indicators of depression.
Types of Depression
Awareness of symptoms, therapies, and helping others who are suffering can be key to minimizing a worldwide epidemic of depression. Symptoms can include a disinterest in life, low energy, memory loss, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, and neglecting other basic needs. Depression has a wide spectrum of symptoms that can range from mild long-term episodes to psychosis. Depression can occur in other disorders, such as bipolar disorder.
Major Depressive Disorder
Throughout the world, major depressive disorder (MDD) has been the third cause of disease since 2008. The World Health Organization predicts that MDD will be the number one ailment by 2030.
Defined by the Diagnostic Manual and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, MDD can consist of two symptoms of depression that tend to last two weeks or longer. Generally, during depressive episodes, a person can experience disruptions in sleep, eating, and daily life skills. These basic needs tend to feel challenging to complete. Those who suffer from major depressive episodes struggle to leave their bed or can accomplish simple tasks, such as daily self-care.
Treatments For MDD
Medications for MDD include an extensive list of antidepressants, such as Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Finding the right medication can be a challenge for individuals with MDD. All antidepressants have minimized symptoms for individuals with MDD, but side effects can create hardships for those seeking assistance.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy can help people navigate symptoms and find solutions. Therapy can lead to other resources, such as relatable groups and activities to personalize specific needs.
Persistent Depressive Disorder
The symptoms of persistent depressive disorder (PDD) can include feelings of despair and a lack of enthusiasm for life. Symptoms can appear to be milder than those of MDD. However, light depressive symptoms can occur for longer periods. Oftentimes, lasting up to two years. An individual with PDD tends to have consistent states of low energy and motivation.
Therapies for PDD
Research has suggested maintaining adequate sleep patterns with a healthy diet can minimize feelings of hopelessness. People diagnosed with PDD find medication to be ineffective as opposed to those with MDD. Therapy can be a strong factor in improving mood. Within therapy, a person can define things that bring happiness and understand ways to minimize escalations.
Perinatal Depressive Disorder
Women are diagnosed with perinatal depressive disorder during pregnancy. During pregnancy, a woman can endure myriad changes in their brain and body. They can experience symptoms of depression during or after pregnancy. Hormones play a large part in exhibiting depressive symptoms. This can create copious challenges in meeting the basic needs of the mother and the infant.
Methods for Minimizing Perinatal Disorder
Therapy can be the strongest way to minimize perinatal disorder. Medications can be hard to administer for depression characteristics during a woman’s pregnancy. Proper diet, exercise, and sleep can help reduce signs of depression. Postpartum depression is often treated with medication after the baby is born.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Generally, a person who is diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) will experience depressive symptoms during seasonal changes. Often individuals will begin to feel symptoms during late fall, winter, and early spring. The environment is another strong factor causing SAD. Living further away from the equator correlates with more diagnoses of SAD.
Solutions for SAD
Research has found a leading factor of SAD is due to low levels of vitamin D. Adding supplements and light therapy has been shown to improve individuals with SAD’s depressive symptoms. Individuals who seek out medications such as SSRIs or bupropion have reported a reduction in signs of SAD.
CBT has been found to decrease debilitating depressed feelings. It has been found that CBT will be effective with SAD if the therapy is catered to specific SAD treatment. CBT can be an option that can be safe for individuals with SAD who struggle with the side effects of medication.
Coping With Depression
Education, while analyzing symptoms, can improve overall well-being for individuals suffering from depression. Changing unhealthy habits, such as self-medicating with addictive behaviors, to healthy ones, like developing a routine including exercise, sleep schedules, and a healthy diet.
Researching the countless options, such as CBT, medications, and classes to personalize an individual’s needs can help reduce depression. Discussing debilitating ailments with an individual’s primary physician can be the first step toward developing a stronger sense of self. A doctor can help refer a person to obtain the exact care to personalize their path toward a better sense of self. It s never too late to begin your journey toward healing.
Here at Sage Recovery, we strive to provide infinite resources for those enrolled in our program. Experiencing depressed feelings can be debilitating, and learning ways to cope can create a better state of well-being. We offer therapists that can cater to your needs to minimize overwhelming emotions and navigate a plan to find success. Our therapists can guide you to appropriate groups, activities, and daily life skills. Please reach out at any time for a friend, family member, or yourself by calling (512) 306-1394. We can help you combat your depression with individualized care that is supportive, caring, and effective. Our offerings include group therapy, wellness groups, a family program, and more.