Ignoring depression can be life-threatening

Ignoring depression can be life-threatening

Sally (not her real name) was the apple of her father's eye. Her father, a Vietnam War veteran, was always away when she was growing up. She missed her father, especially on occasions like birthdays, Christmas and Thanksgiving. Life was going well, but tragedy struck on her 13th birthday when she suddenly heard that her father was no more. He had committed suicide by hanging himself in his room. She couldn't come to terms with the fact that her father had been silently struggling with serious mental illness for years. She was a suicide loss survivor and trauma victim.

Soon, Sally began experiencing symptoms such as emotional numbness and intrusive distressing memories, suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Over time, she had mastered the art of disguising herself as she felt. But Sally soon realized she was struggling with depression, which landed her in a mental hospital. During her stay in the hospital, Sally learned something that 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 medical professional. But depression is a real illness with devastating symptoms that requires appropriate treatment and support. Depression can affect people of any age and can cause various symptoms, such as: E.g. persistent feeling of hopelessness and sadness, loss of interest in leisure activities, etc.

Depression is the most common mental disorder in the United States. Depression, which is primarily classified as mild, moderate, or severe, 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 and should not be ignored

Depression is a serious mental illness that, if left untreated, can have devastating consequences. However, there is hope that it can be effectively treated by a professional mental health professional. Psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as appropriate medications are some of the proven approaches to treat depression after a careful analysis of the underlying factors.

Some of the effective ways to deal with depression are:

• Contact a psychologist or psychiatrist at the earliest to have your mental health assessed.

• Contact your local health department or community mental health center for guidance or information about different options in the area.

• I am seeking support from local university clinics as many of them have specific programs for students battling depression and anxiety issues.

• Contact one of the national health groups to connect with mental health professionals in the neighborhood, as well as information about various support groups for mental health problems.

A significant number of drug-addicted patients can control their cravings and significantly reduce heavy drug use by administering FDA-approved medications in combination with psychological and social interventions.

Bring joy back into your life

As scientists investigate both the existing and potential causes of depression to ensure relevant therapeutic interventions for the treatment of depressed patients, it is necessary to educate people about the possible causes of depression and the associated psychological disorders. Dealing with mental health disorders can be challenging at any age.

Inspired by Barbara Odozi