What happens when you avoid depression treatment?
According to the American Psychiatric Association, tens of millions of people in the United States presently suffer from depression. This debilitating mental health condition makes up 99 percent of the diagnoses for mind-brain illnesses. The remaining one percent suffer schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. This statistic shows how common depression really is. It also makes one wonder why so many people avoid depression treatment.
When you avoid depression treatment, you struggle alone daily against its symptoms. These symptoms include mood changes, behavioral changes, sleep problems, physical issues, problems with thinking clearly, weight changes, appetite changes and even suicide. Why put yourself through this daily struggle to just get by? When you don't avoid depression treatment and instead get the help you need, your life gets easier and more fulfilling. You learn about your condition and how to cope with its symptoms in healthy ways.
Reasons Why People Avoid Depression Treatment
Trying to avoid depression treatment isolates you in your mental health problem. So why do you do this, exactly? Why not get help? Below are the reasons many people avoid the help they need:
- Waiting to "snap out of it," but depression makes life more difficult for longer when you do this
- Waiting for depression to pass, but this waiting game can make it worse
- Fear of needing medications, but not all depression treatment requires medication and many medications are only temporary
- Not feeling sad all of the time, but sadness is not the only symptom or effect
- Embarrassed to discuss it with a doctor or therapist, but there is no reason for this because it is a real medical condition like diabetes or high cholesterol
- Afraid of addressing tough subjects in therapy, but what you reveal is up to you
Obviously, none of these reasons justify keeping yourself stuck in depression. You deserve an engaging, full life. Don't avoid depression treatment. Seek the help you need so you can get back to the everyday enjoyment of the things and people you love.
What is the best depression treatment?
As we explored above, there are many reasons that people give to avoid depression treatment. But many who seek the help they need actually find that the best depression treatment is highly individualized. There is no one-size, fits-all approach. Sure, the best results typically come from a combination of antidepressant medication prescribed by your doctor and therapy provided by a licensed psychologist. Still, this treatment plan is not what everyone wants or needs.
According to researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle, the best depression treatment is the one you prefer. What the researchers mean is that the course of treatment you will stick to and take part in fully will provide the best results for you. That makes sense, right? Getting over depression comes down to making your own decision to follow your chosen treatment and learn about your condition.
Find Your Own Best Depression Treatment
For most people, finding their own best depression treatment means going to therapy. For some, it also means taking medication. But your own best treatment is one you discuss with your medical doctor and therapist. You then decide which actions to take. You are in the driver's seat.
When people understand that they have a voice in the type of treatment for their mental health condition, they are more likely to get the help they need. They also make the necessary lifestyle changes to improve their condition.
In the University of Washington study, 335 male patients from 24 to 84 with depression participated. About 15 percent chose to take medication only. Another 24 percent sought talk therapy only. The remaining 61 percent ultimately chose both therapy and medication.
Despite these different choices for their own idea of best depression treatment, all of the individuals' conditions improved with treatment. Within 3 months, 72 percent were significantly less depressed. At nine months, most were even less depressed.
Clearly, having the power to choose your own best depression treatment also gives you more interest in your treatment and the focus to get better. Don't avoid depression treatment. Talk to a therapist about your symptoms today to find your own best path back to a more fulfilling life. Call Greene Psychology Group in Raleigh, North Carolina at 919-205-5339 to schedule your first visit.