Is My Depression Treatable?

One of the most important facts to acknowledge about depression is that it is a treatable condition. The best way out is through treatment. People who avoid treatment may feel confused or embarrassed, think they can work through symptoms on their own, or fail to fully understand what Depression is. Regardless of the motivation to avoid treatment, it is likely that symptoms will persist or even worsen without intervention.

The term “depression” is an everyday “buzzword” for a feeling of gloom or sadness. This feeling is a hallmark symptom of clinical depression. However, there is more to Depression than sadness. It can make you feel miserable and damage your most valued relationships, health, and even your career. Due to all the damage that Depression can cause, it is only natural that you would want to extricate yourself from it.

Understanding Depression—Toward Feeling Better

Many individuals who are experiencing Depression have difficulty taking steps to overcome their symptoms because of fallacies or myths about depression. For instance, many report feeling shamed by their diagnosis, thinking that only weak people can be affected by it, that it isn’t a real illness, or that antidepressants are the only way to feel better.
To steer yourself toward feeling better and successfully overcoming depression, do yourself a favor: learn some basic facts about depression. Knowledge is empowering. It can lead you in the right direction and also to the help you need and deserve. Some important things to know:

First, depression is a real condition and not just a fleeting sadness. It is a condition that can be triggered by an imbalance in brain chemicals or neurotransmitters. This means that you can’t free yourself from it by willpower alone, professional assistance is often needed. This also means that you didn’t get it because you were weak or did something “wrong”.

Second, your symptoms may not be the same as those of others. If you have relatives who are or have been depressed, Depression may look different to you. You will need to see an expert for evaluation and diagnosis to be certain.

Third, you don’t have to wait for your symptoms to worsen: depression is treatable. If you have a genetic predisposition to depression or are experiencing a severe episode, you may think that you’re doomed. Know that you have the power to protect yourself by proactively seeking professional counseling.

Fourth, the symptoms can be different because there are several subtypes of depression. Depression can be linked to other emotional or behavioral conditions—this is called comorbidity. For instance, it can be linked to anxiety, resulting in overlapping symptoms and making diagnosis and treatment more difficult. Other types of depression include Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Bipolar Disorder, and other types that are situation-specific (premenstrual dysphoric disorder, postpartum depression, and depression related to medical conditions).

Do You Have Symptoms of Depression?

If you are not quite “yourself” and are unable to enjoy the things you once did for more than two weeks, you may have Depression. Depression is more than just feeling sad. A person experiencing Depression can be overwhelmed by other symptoms besides sadness. It is also possible for this condition to creep up gradually, so that you may have become used to it and worn it like a second skin for a long time before diagnosis.

Many people go on without treatment because they do not know they are depressed. Wanting to stay cooped up in your room, or to sleep and eat all the time, could be things that you have been doing all along. If you are sleep-deprived, you may use it to justify your tiredness, lack of interest in many things, and physical pain. These are nonspecific symptoms—even people who are not depressed can occasionally experience them.

So, how do you know that there is more to your changes in sleeping/eating patterns, being disinterested, wanting to be alone, etc.? According to Good Therapy, “To be diagnosed with Depression, a person has to have several (but not all) of the symptoms from a diagnostic list outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM).” These include:

• Lack of interest or joy in anything
• Significant increase or decrease in eating
• Insomnia or over-sleeping
• Restlessness or being slowed down physically
• Fatigue or low energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
• Inability to think, concentrate, or make decisions
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts
• Lack of enjoyment or interest in previously enjoyed activities
• Feeling hopeless, empty, or pessimistic

In addition, you may experience numbness or not feeling anything at all, or alternatively, intense anger and frequent irritability. It is also common for individuals with Depression to “somatize” their despair or transform it into pain. If your doctor says there is nothing medically wrong with you, see a therapist—unexplained physical pain could be a sign of Depression. Unfortunately, many people begin using substances or self-injury as a means of self-medicating or coping when experiencing symptoms of Depression, this does not have to be you.