Important Things to Know About Depression

Posted: April 11, 2016

I decided to write this blog post because many of my clients suffer from depression, and I know many other people suffer from depression but do not seek counseling. Unfortunately, many PCPs/ Family Doctors feel it is ok to just prescribe their patients anti-depression medications when they state they are depressed, instead of referring them to a professional such as an LMHC or even a psychiatrist. They will refer you to a cardiologist if you have a heart condition and to a dermatologist if you have a skin condition, but many times will not feel it is necessary to refer to a mental health specialist when people report they have symptoms of anxiety or depression. What is worst about it, is that people do not know that only taking anti-depression medication, without going to therapy is just like putting a strong butterfly bandage, when you need stitches.

I read an article about a new method of beating depression discovered in Israel. The authors reported that

Major depression “afflicts one in six people at some point in their life,” the university’s statement on the new research noted, and is “the leading global cause of disability – surpassing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer and HIV/AIDS combined.” (
Yirmiya,
Rimmerman
,
Reshef, 2015).

That to me is not a surprising evidence, but I would think that many people are not aware how prevalent depression is in society. Despite the fact that it is so prevalent, many people do know how to deal with it if they have it or someone they care about suffers from it. It creates a lot of shame, frustration and at times loneliness and severity of the condition.

Throughout my career I ran into many different faces of depression, and had to treat every case based on the need of the person I met. However, there was a common thread to most of my clients. They mostly felt misunderstood and lonely. I ran into the video below years ago, and since than I have shared it with all my clients who were diagnosed with depression. I have asked them to share it with their loved ones so they can understand them better, and it mostly helped. What I just want to remind everyone is that the good side to everything is that there is a lot we can do to help you feel better. There are many treatment modalities to chose from, along with possibly taking an antidepressant medication if necessary. The goal (eventually) would be to develop enough skills and tools to help you deal with your depression without meds.

If you or someone you know is suffering from depression make sure to take care of yourself and go see a specialist who can help. Do not let yourself go through life without seeking a better way of living. If you need my help you can look me up here.