Getting Help

 


Getting Help
Depression is one of the most common emotional problems. The good news is that it's also one of the most treatable conditions. There are professionals who can help. In fact, about 80% of people who get help for their depression have a better quality of life - they function better and enjoy themselves in a way that they weren't able to before.
Treatment for depression can include talk therapy, medication, or a combination of both.
Talk therapy with a mental health professional is very effective in treating depression. Therapy sessions help people understand depression and what they can do about it.
Sometimes medicine may be prescribed for a person who has depression. When a doctor prescribes medicine, he or she will carefully monitor the person to make sure he or she gets the right dose. The doctor will adjust the dose as necessary. Medicines can take a few weeks before the person feels the medicine working. Because every person's brain is different, what works well for one person might not be good for another.
People who are depressed shouldn't wait and hope it will go away on its own because depression can be effectively treated. Friends or others need to step in if someone seems severely depressed and isn't getting help. Many teens find that opening up to parents or to other adults they trust can help. Simply saying, "I've been feeling really down lately and I think I'm depressed," can be a good way to open the discussion. Ask your parent to arrange an appointment with a therapist.
People who are extremely depressed and who may be thinking about hurting themselves or about suicide need help as soon as possible. When depression is this severe, it is a very real medical emergency, and an adult must be notified. Most communities have suicide hotlines where people can get guidance and support in an emergency.
Although it's important to be supportive, trying to cheer up a friend or reasoning with him or her probably won't work to help depression or suicidal feelings go away. Depression can be so strong that it outweighs a person's ability to respond to reason. Even if your friend has asked you to promise not to tell, this is a situation where telling can save a life. The most important thing a depressed person can do is to get the right treatment.
Depression - and the suffering that goes with depression - is real. Depression doesn't make a person "crazy." Just as things can go wrong in all other organs of the body, things can go wrong in the most important organ of all: the brain. Luckily, most teens who get help for their depression go on to have fulfilling, happy teen and adult years - and most importantly, to enjoy life and feel better about themselves.