Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Feeling sad? You may have been depressed. But not just sad one day. Depression is a common psychological disorder that seriously affects everyday life function. Depression has a much broader scope than feeling sadness or loss a lot, because people often cannot "lift up their spirits overnight." With many mental, emotional, and physical symptoms, illness can get worse very quickly. The good news is that there are ways to prevent and treat depression.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Recognizing the Symptoms of Depression Disorder

1. 

   Diagnose mental / emotional symptoms. Depression is evident physically, mentally, and emotionally. A mental health professional uses a system of diagnosing depression that includes experiencing most of the accompanying symptoms coming from outside (home, school, work, society) for 2 weeks or longer. :
   • Feeling of extreme depression all day (sadness, downwardness)
   • Feeling frustrated or helpless (there is nothing you can do to make things better)
   • Loss of pleasure or interest in most activities (activities that you liked so much in the past)
   • Difficulty concentrating (at home, at work, while studying; what's easy now is hard for you)
   • Guilt (feeling like you've made a mistake and can never make up for it)
   • Feeling of losing value (what you do no longer matters)
   • Thinking about death or taking your own life

2. 

   
   
   Recognize suicidal thoughts. While it is not necessary to recognize if you have suicidal thoughts during a diagnosis of depression, it can be one of the symptoms of the disorder. If you have ever had suicidal thoughts or want to end your life, don't hesitate. Seek help from a friend or relative or seek professional help.
   • When you feel you are in danger of suicide, call Emergency Services.
   • You can go directly to the Emergency Room at your local hospital. A mental health professional will work with you to come up with a plan to soothe you and also help you find ways to cope with suicidal thoughts.
   • If you have a therapist, tell your doctor about suicidal thoughts.
   • Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) in the US. The operator has trained and supported you with effective solutions to eliminate suicidal thoughts. In Vietnam, you can call 1900599930 to contact the Center for Psychological Crisis (PCP).

3. 

   
   
   Diagnose your symptoms physically. Depression can change your body and your behavior. When making a diagnosis, a mental health professional often looks at physical symptoms to help make a more accurate diagnosis. Quite similar to emotional / emotional symptoms, a diagnosis of depression usually involves experiencing most of the following for 2 weeks or longer:
   • Changes in sleep (sleeping too much or not getting enough sleep)
   • Changes in diet (overeating or loss of appetite)
   • Slow movement (feels like movement takes all your energy)
   • Loss of energy, fatigue (no energy to work, unable to get out of bed)

4. 

   
   
   Reflect on a long or recent stressful situation. Recent stressful situations can be a cause of depression. Even the most positive situations can cause depression, like moving jobs, getting married, or having children. It takes time for your body and mind to adjust to new experiences, and sometimes some recent changes can make you depressed. When experiencing a traumatic event (such as losing a child or going through a natural disaster), depression occurs. Prolonged negative experiences can cause depression, such as experiencing childhood distress or being abused physically, mentally, or sexual abuse.
   • Using certain substances can cause depression, especially alcoholism.
   • Health problems lead to depression, such as when diagnosed or faced with health problems.
   • Just because you have to experience a stressful situation does not mean you are at risk of depression. It can lead to a depressive episode, but not necessarily depressive.

5. 

   Personal background check. If you have had a lot of trouble with symptoms of depression, you are at greater risk of becoming depressed again. About 50% of people who experience a depressive episode will experience depression again in their life. Examine your previous experiences and take note of any prolonged episodes of depression you have experienced.

6. 

   Review family background. Notice if any of your family members have depression (brothers, sisters, parents). Then look at the other family members (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents) and pay attention to symptoms of depression. See if anyone in your family has ever attempted suicide or experienced a mental health problem. Depression is often contagious in families and possesses strong genes. If you find that a loved one has depression, you will be at higher risk.
   • Understand that every family has experienced certain mental health problems. But just because having an aunt or parent has a mental health problem doesn't mean you are at risk for depression or another mental health problem.
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Part 2 of 3: Recognizing the Different Types of Depression

1. 

   Watch for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) symptoms. You will feel happy and relaxed throughout the summer, but feel sad in the cold and murky winter. Symptoms called SAD start to appear when you see a day becoming shorter and when the sun is no longer visible. Seasonal Emotional Disorder symptoms can vary, but are generally quite similar to the main symptoms of Severe Depression Disorder and vary geographically. Places that get less sunlight for a period of time (like Alaska, USA) have a higher rate of people with SAD.
   • If you have SAD, take advantage of sunlight if possible. Get up early in the morning and go for a walk, or have a midday snack outdoors.
   • SAD can be effectively treated with light therapy, but nearly half of people with SAD cannot feel better through this therapy alone. For more information on light therapy, check out some related articles on wikiHow.

2. 

   Know the difference between teen depression. Adolescents experience depression in a different way than adults. They often get upset, become grumpy, or even resentful when depressed. Complaints about inexplicable aches and pains also partly describe adolescent depression.
   • Sudden anger and extreme sensitivity to criticism can also lead to depression.
   • Poor grades, separation from friends, and alcohol or drug abuse can all lead to problems associated with teen depression.

3. 

   Check for symptoms of depression after giving birth. Giving birth is a sacred moment that helps to form a family and to bring a small birth. For women, no matter what, the stage after giving birth is nothing but joy and joy. The hormonal, physical changes, and adding a new role to the extra care of a baby can become overwhelming for them. An estimated 10 to 15% of women experience postpartum depression. For some mothers, depression occurs very early in the postpartum period, while for other mothers, the disease occurs within the first 3 months, then gradually becomes more pronounced. Along with the above depressive symptoms, some additional signs of postpartum depression include:
   • Lack of interest in the baby
   • There are many negative feelings about the baby
   • Worrying about harming the baby
   • Lack of self-interest

4. 

   Recognize long-term depressive disorders. This form of depression is less severe than Major Depressive Disorder, but persists for a longer time. People with persistent depressive disorder often experience depression lasting 2 years or longer. Depression symptoms usually appear within a certain time frame, but depressed mood persists for up to 2 years.

5. 

   Recognize the symptoms of psychotic depression. This depression occurs when a person has severe depression accompanied by a mental disorder. Psychiatric disorders can include false beliefs (such as believing you are the president or a spy), hallucinations (a distance from reality, like believing that you are being watched by someone) or delusions. other senses (hearing or seeing things that other people have not experienced).
   • Psychotic depression can be dangerous and lead to death because of a great distance from reality. Get help right away by contacting a friend, or calling emergency services.

6. 

   Recognize the symptoms of bipolar disorder. The characteristic sign of bipolar disorder is a fluctuating state of mood. A person's mood can go down (severe depression) and then go up again (mania). Bipolar disorder dramatically alters an individual's mood, behavior, and thinking. When a person suffers from mania, a person may behave differently, like abruptly quitting work, shopping a lot, or working for days without sleep. Depression tends to get worse, like getting out of bed, unable to keep up with work, or not being able to perform daily activities. If you have symptoms of bipolar disorder, seek professional help. These symptoms cannot go away on their own without intervention. Some of the symptoms of mania include:
   • Feeling unusually optimistic
   • I feel too irritable
   • Feels energized even with very little sleep
   • Thinking hard
   • Speak too fast
   • The judgment is impaired, impulsive
   • Delusions or hallucinations
   • For more information about bipolar disorder, check out some of the articles on bipolar disorder on wikiHow.
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Part 3 of 3: Coping with Depression

1. 

   See a mental health professional. When you are still uncertain about your emotional state or feel like you are struggling with a depressive episode, seek immediate treatment. A therapist can help you understand your depression and provide effective coping strategies to prevent future episodes of depression. Treatment is an effective way to cure depression, when it helps a person understand the cause of the illness, helps them overcome negative feelings, and begins to calm down and behave normally again.
   • Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) is considered to be quite effective in treating depression. It helps you cope with negative thoughts and turns them into more positive ones. You can learn to re-examine environments and relationships in a more sympathetic manner.

2. 

   Consider seeking advice from a psychiatrist. For some patients, drug therapy can be helpful in treating depressive symptoms. Be aware that medications cannot be completely cured and can carry some risks. Check with your healthcare provider or psychiatrist to learn more about antidepressants.
   • Ask your prescribing doctor about side effects and any risks of taking the medicine.
   • If you feel you are attempting to commit suicide with a medication, tell your doctor right away.
   • If you start taking an antidepressant, stop taking it immediately if it's effective. Please use as directed by your doctor.

3. 

   Avoid isolating yourself. It's important to feel loved and supported, especially if you are suffering from depression. You will tend to isolate yourself from friends and family, but spending a lot of time with friends can help you regain your mood. When you are depressed, make an effort to spend time with your friends, even when your body or mind won't allow it.
   • You can also join a support group. See the National Coalition for Mental Illness (NAMI) at https://www.nami.org/ for more information about depression and how to find a support group.

4. 

   Physical health training. According to most studies, physical exercise has many benefits in treating depression. Several studies have shown that exercise can help ease symptoms of depression and prevent the disease from coming back in the future. It can be a little difficult to tell whether you go to the gym or go for a walk - especially when your depression takes all of your energy - but try to find motivation to help yourself exercise.
   • Simple exercises like walking 20-40 minutes a day. If you have a dog, take it for a daily walk to double your feelings of happiness.
   • If you find it hard to find the motivation to be active, remind yourself that once you move, you won't regret doing your best. Rarely does anyone leave the gym thinking "I'm just wasting my time here, I shouldn't have gone."
   • Find yourself a companion to motivate you to practice. Having a sense of responsibility can help you get to the gym.

5. 

   Control your stress. Managing stress is a way to help cope and prevent depression. Exercise every day to help yourself relax (not to mention the media). Practice yoga, meditate, practice tai chi, or use muscle relaxation skills. You can also journal or get creative through painting, painting, or sewing.
   • For more information, see Reduce Stress.
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Advice

• If you have been depressed for a long time, it may take a long time to fully recover from it. Don't expect immediate results.

Warning

• Overuse of medications can provide immediate relief from the symptoms of depression, but it can worsen the symptoms over time. If you take the wrong medication or drink alcohol while treating your depression, stop immediately and talk to a mental health professional about alternative treatments.