How to Deal With Clinical Depression

Clinical depression is not a case of "the blues," or just being sad sometimes. Clinical depression means you are depressed at the clinical level – meaning you have a mental health diagnosis. There are quite a few diagnoses that include clinical depressive symptoms including: Major Depressive Disorder, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia), and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. There are also depressive disorders that are caused by substance use, medication, or a medical condition. Whichever depressive disorder you have, you can successfully deal with your depressive symptoms by getting support, using coping strategies, and changing depressive thinking.

Keep yourself safe if you have thoughts of harming yourself. If you are currently having thoughts of harming yourself in some way or of killing yourself, you need to get support immediately. If you ever feel suicidal or have an intent to harm yourself and don't trust your impulse control, get outside support right now.

·         Go to the nearest emergency room with an explanation of how you feel. Tell them that you are feeling suicidal.

Talk to a therapist. If you choose to enlist the help of a therapist, be sure to select one that is qualified to work with depressed people, and with whom you feel compatible. The right therapist can't solve all your problems instantly, but she can help you learn to help yourself, refer you to a psychiatrist if needed (for medication), and provide support through tough times.

·         Contact your medical insurance company for a list of approved clinicians in your area. Make sure to inquire about what types of services your plan covers.

·         If you do not have medical insurance, conduct an online search for sliding scale, low-cost, or free mental health clinics in your area. Or contact your local social services or government organization to inquire about financial assistance or programs that help low-income families.

·         If you find a therapist that suits you, keep going as long as it works for you. Find out if you can call between visits if something unexpected happens.

·         Find or ask for referrals to therapy groups. For example, Coping with Depression (CWD) therapy is an effective treatment for reducing existing depression.

Consider getting medication. Medications such as antidepressant SSRIs can be helpful in treating severe depression. Find out if your therapist thinks medication would help you. Ask for the names of psychiatrists that the therapist knows have been helpful to people with a similar history.

·         Even if you are taking prescription drugs already, do not think that pills will be an easy fix. There are many other methods to fight depression that are worth trying.

·         Accept that all psychiatrists are not created equal. Ask your psychiatrist about what sort of treatments he often suggests to people in your situation. Be inquisitive about which medications he uses, whether he will prescribe more than one medication, and how he decides on dosage adjustments. If he doesn't seem like a good fit, it's okay to find someone else.

·         If you decide to use medication as a way to help your depression, different medicines will affect you differently. Some may worsen depression for a period or of time or increase suicidal thoughts before they start helping. If this happens, contact your doctor or therapist.

·         Never stop a medication cold turkey. This may produce negative reactions (shaking, hot and cold flashes, etc.) and can worsen depression. Only modify your prescription or taper off of a medicine under the care of a psychiatrist.