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How Depression Can Change Your Life:
Depression is something that needs critical attention. The sad fact is that many people across the globe aren't getting the treatment that they deserve to help overcome the condition. World Health Organization (WHO) states that globally, a staggering 300 million are affected by depression, up 18% over the last decade. The worst part is that almost 50% of these affected people are not receiving any treatment.
The reasons for a person not getting treatment vary from professional help for treating depression being expensive to stigma attached to the mental illness, making a person weak, says Ken Duckworth, the medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. He urges people to come forward and take help to treat depression just like how they would for a broken arm as there is no shame and it is a treatable disease.
In order to honor the World Health Day 2017 theme of depression, Huffington post asked their social media community on how the treatment helped in their fight. The stories below differ as what works for one person may not work for another. Your doctor is the best person to know what works well for you.
Change in medication
Michele Carlson, one of the respondent states that he struggled with different medicines for 6 years, consoled only by the fact that he had a very good doctor. Finally, around 11 years ago, he tried a different medicine that helped miraculously and he has recovered since then, though he still fears that it just might stop working someday.
Therapy along with workouts
Nathalia Segoviano confides that before depression she had not taken any medications at all. She says that she started working out along with her therapies, and went off the medicines, when she felt that it was fine to do so. She started eating well, continued working as well as her therapy. She also relied on things that calmed her like taking walks, going for hikes, coloring and took out 'me time'.
She says that she would never be rid of her depression completely, but that she has learnt to manage it. She holds on to her therapy and workouts so as not slip back for the sake of her daughter.
Support systems
Kara Bennett feels that the stigma associated with talking about such issues should be removed. She says that all humans have problems and talking about them makes us aware that we are not alone. She urges people to come out without being ashamed about it. Everyone is loved and has a support group, and only need to talk.
Professional help
The loss of her newborn daughter due to an unseen birth defect plunged Amanda Williams into grief and depression. Her mother helped her find a good therapist who helped her rebuild the memories without it being painful. She now feels being able to live without the blinding rage and is able to breathe without feeling as though her chest caves in. She credits her therapist for her recovery.
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