[heatherdawn411]

How do I deal with depression?

[FnOzi]

I also await an answer to this one!

[chippers]

The first step in dealing with depression is knowing you're not alone. Depression is a chemical imbalance sort of like diabetes. With diabetes you either aren't producing enough insulin to break down sugar or not at all. With depression the brain isn't getting enough serotonin, a mood stabilizer in the brain.
It can be seen in changes in behavior, being tired, constantly feeling sad, lossof inteterst in things you enjoyed like sex, hobbies, etc. being tearful, feeling overwhelmed. As well as easily affected by out side issues like family problems, work issues, financial as well.
Talk with your doctor and tell him or her what you're feeling. Don't leave out anything. Every detail counts. With the right medication, talk therapy, and exercise, depression can be managed.
I hope this helps.

[ordinaryguy]

First, see your doctor to find out if it's bad enough to need medication and therapy. In the meantime, here are some good practical tips and coping strategies.

How to Cope with Depression - WikiHow

[Jeffrey Wilson]

The first step is to be careful not to get sucked into the idea that depression is a disease, that doctors know how to "treat" it, or that the answer lies in a pill. Thanks to Drug Company marketing it has become popular opinion that a biochemical imbalance is the root of depression and the way to treat it is with an antidepressant.

Depression is a symptom. A symptom that something is out of whack in some area of your life. For example it could be a physical condition, such as hypoglycemia, heart disease or any number of other things. When your body doesn't feel well your mind won't be functioning well either. Or you could have an emotional upset such as the loss of a loved one (grief), the loss of a job or a sickness of someone close to you. It can also be caused by poor mental patterns of thinking such as constant worry, or focusing only on the negative things that happen to us.

To cure depression you must accept responsibility for healing yourself. In extreme cases a drug may be needed just to get you through, but don't think that taking a pill will cure you. It will only let you function for a short time and eventually you will have to address what issue is really troubling you.

I know because I suffered for 23 years from depression, took almost every antidepressant on the market and worked inside the pharmaceutical industry. I have been drug free and depression free for over 4 years now. I did a lot of research into the whole depression is a disease thing and wrote a book about my experiences.

There are lots of causes for depression and lots of different cures too. I don’t know the rules on this list but if you contact me I would be happy to send you a copy of my book so you can get an idea of what is possible.

[Summercrime]

I'm a 21 year old woman with a 2 year old child. I've been struggling with depression since I was 14. I didn't get treated or even diagnosed until I turned 20. The way I grew up, along with one abusive relationship after another plunged me deeper and deeper into the depression, and the fact that I was a struggling single mother only added to it. My depression took such a hold on me at one point that I turned to alcohol and other things to numb the emotional pain. But once I saw a doctor and started medication and seeing a counselor every few weeks, I worked through it, and a year later, I am off my medications, don't need counseling anymore, and I'm living a life free from depression!
My best advice is to seek a doctor's advice, and most importantly, TAKE IT! If you get prescribed any medication, take it as directed, keep all your doctor and counseling appointments, and take it one day at a time. Also, get rid of any bad influences in your life that are dragging you further into the depression. This helped me TREMENDOUSLY, as hard as it was for me to actually do. Also, I don't know where you stand on religion, but for myself, as a Christian, I found surrounding myself with prayer and other positive people who share my faith to be extremely uplifting. I hope you find this helpful!