Mental Health Information
How is depression treated?
Depression is the most treatable of mental illnesses. Most people who suffer
from depression are helped by the treatment they get, which usually includes
medication and/or psychological counselling. Support from family, friends and
self-help groups can also make a big difference.
Many people who are seriously depressed wait too long to seek treatment or
they may not seek treatment at all. They may not realize that they have a treatable
illness, or they may be concerned about getting help because of the negative
attitudes held by society towards this type of illness.
Mental Health Tips & Questions
What
are the signs of depressive illness?
Depression
becomes an illness, or clinical depression, when the feelings described above
are severe, last for several weeks, and begin to interfere with one's work and
social life. Depressive illness can change the way a person thinks and behaves,
and how his/her body functions. Some of the signs to look for are:
feeling
worthless, helpless or hopeless,
sleeping more or less than usual,
eating more or less than usual,
having difficulty concentrating or making decisions,
loss of interest in taking part in activities,
decreased sex drive,
avoiding other people,
overwhelming feelings of sadness or grief,
feeling unreasonably guilty,
loss of energy, feeling very tired,
thoughts of death or suicide.