Depression Help

By Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
updated on 11/19/2007 at 03:03PM

Helping Yourself

Depression is an exhausting condition. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness can make it difficult to reach out for help. It’s important to realize that these negative thoughts and pessimistic views are part of the depression and they rarely reflect the situation accurately. With proper treatment, this negative thinking will fade and a more positive attitude should eventually take its place. If you’re depressed, here’s what you can do to get help:

Get Connected: Get in touch with family and friends or join a depression support group. Being alone allows you to dwell on your negative mood and feelings.
Get Real: Try to set realistic goals for yourself, both in your daily life and in your recovery. You are setting yourself up for failure if you expect to "get over" your depression in a couple of days.
Get Out There: Participate in activities that may make you feel better. Whether it’s attending a sports event, going to a movie, or enrolling in a drawing class, an activity can help you direct your focus towards positive thoughts and feelings.
Take Care of Yourself: Make an effort to eat a wholesome, nutritious diet, drink plenty of water, and get at least a little bit of exercise every day. Taking good care of yourself will help you build the energy you need to overcome depression.
Put Some Things on Hold: If you can, it’s best to put important decisions on hold until the depression has lifted. Before deciding about a major life change, such as a drastic move, a job change, or a marriage or divorce, talk it over with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation.
Let Others Help You: Friends and family members help one another in times of need. Just as you would help a loved one, let them help you. Talk with your friends and family about your condition and allow them to be part of your recovery.
See A Professional: Don't be ashamed to seek the advice of a therapist or your health care professional. A therapist can help you develop a plan for recovery and advise you about medications that may make your recovery more successful.
See Depression for What it Is: Depression is an illness. The negative thoughts and feelings you are experiencing are in result of this illness. Accept that emotions do not have to define who you are as a person.
Monitor Your Self Talk: People who suffer from depression tend to engage in an almost constant repertoire of negative self-talk. On the outside, they may try to brighten their attitude, but inside they seethe with guilt, sadness, and feelings of despair. Be conscious of what you say to yourself and try to use positive dialogue throughout the day. Even if it seems forced at first, the more you keep repeating positive thoughts, the sooner they will become ingrained in your brain.
Let Go: There are some things that are just beyond our scope of control or are too unimportant to spend a lot of energy obsessing about. Learn to identify when a situation just isn’t worth the emotional effort or struggle to change, and let it go.

Helping a Loved One

The very nature of depression can interfere with a person's ability to get help. Depression steals a person's energy and self-esteem and makes them feel tired, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. It’s difficult and painful to watch as a loved one suffers from depression. But there are things you can do to help. The best thing you can do for someone who is depressed is help them get appropriate treatment. Here are a few ways you can help a depressed person get the help they need.

Make an appointment for them with a qualified health care professional who specializes in mental health conditions.
Accompany the person to the appointment.
Encourage the person to continue seeing the therapist or psychiatrist until their symptoms begin to fade.
If the person is not experiencing any improvement, encourage them to try a different treatment method.

Another important way to help someone you love is to offer emotional support. Give them your understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. Keep involved in their life. Invite them for a walk, to a movie, or for coffee. If they decides to open up to you, be sure you’re really listening to what they are saying. Don't interrupt with a lot of advice or anecdotes. Just listen and let them speak. Take them seriously if they make any references to suicide. Most importantly, reassure them that it‘s possible to get help, and with treatment, they can be well again.

Dr. Edward F. Group III continues to develop, sell and evaluate exclusively high-end natural and organic healthcare products to support a wide range of health conditions. Look for the product “Relaxyn” (a natural alternative to prescription anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds) to be released in late 2006. For more information, please visit the Web's best resource on stress, anxiety and depression at www.stress-anxiety-depression.org or www.ghchealth.com.