3 Depression Treatment Tips

More than 264 million people worldwide have experienced depression, which means if you are depressed, you are definitely not alone. The major symptoms of clinical depression include having a persistently low mood, sleep disturbance, feelings of unexplained sadness or despair, loss of interest in hobbies, and overall fatigue. Luckily, there are effective depression treatment options that can help you feel like yourself again. Here are three depression treatments to explore:

Seek Talk Therapy From a Counselor

One of the fastest and most effective ways to begin treating your depression is to speak to a licensed counselor. Talk therapy involves meeting a counselor in person or over video call and talking through your life experiences and feelings. Your counselor will help you figure out any factors contributing to your depression, as well as a plan for addressing both the symptoms and the underlying causes.

Talk therapy can be customized to your needs and preferences. For example, some therapists focus on cognitive behavioral therapy to help you learn new, healthier thought patterns. Other therapists may use trauma therapy, art therapy, or even wilderness therapy to help you.

Try Antidepressant Medication

If talk therapy is not enough, adding antidepressant medication to your treatment plan can be even more effective. While your counselor teaches you new skills to better manage your emotions, antidepressant medication helps regulate your brain chemistry. In many cases, people with depression benefit from antidepressants because they help your brain more effectively release feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.

Antidepressants and counseling often work well in conjunction with each other in order to combat depression and prevent it from returning.

Get Regular Exercise

If you are in a deep depression, you may not have the energy to work out. Once you begin to feel some relief from counseling and medication, however, it's a great idea to add regular exercise to your routine. Many scientific studies have shown that regular physical exercise reduces depression by creating healthier pathways in the brain.

Exercise doesn't have to be complicated. Just aim to get your body moving and heart rate up most days of the week. Choose activities you enjoy, like playing group sports, taking dance or martial arts classes, hiking, swimming, or riding your bike.

Dealing with depression is difficult, but it's important to not lose hope. By exploring these depression treatment options with a licensed counselor, you will begin to experience relief from your depression symptoms. Reach out to a depression treatment service near you to learn more.

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