Depression Treatment - What Should You Do Right Now?

The reason you're here is because you feel bad and you don't want to feel bad anymore. At this moment, you probably feel as if you're deep inside some kind of a black hole and feeling depressed is definitely alarming, frightening and absolutely horrible. There aren't any instant cures for depression, but the good news is depression can be treated quite quickly and successfully in most cases. So, let's start your depression treatment now!

Step 1: Make an appointment

The first step to your depression treatment is to make an appointment with your doctor now. If you have suicidal and self-harmed thoughts, make an appointment at once! Don't be afraid that you will be wasting your doctor's time but instead, explain exactly how you you're feeling.

Will the depression go by itself?

There might be a chance that your depression may eventually go away on its own even if you do not seek depression treatment. However, through a research conducted, it is said that it takes on average of eight months for you to be well again. Therefore, it is definitely unwise to spend the time hoping for a recovery but instead, start your depression treatment right away.

Besides that, nothing can be predicted and no one knows how long your depression will last. Moreover, eight months is an extremely long and unnecessary length of time to feel depressed. Bear in mind that, if there is no depression treatment, it may get worse.

Therefore, seek your depression treatment immediately by making the phone call and eliminate the risk of your depression getting worse.

Step 2: In the meantime, while you're waiting...

While you're waiting for your appointment or waiting for your depression treatment to take effect, here are some things that you can do to help yourself:

Treat yourself to things that have made you happy in the past, be it your favourite clothes, CD, DVD, cake or even hiking.
Share your situation with people who are close to you. The first step to getting better is admitting how you feel.
Share your feelings and thoughts with a friend or relative. This will be definitely be a great help during your depression treatment.
Try no to reinforce your negative feelings. When negative thoughts like 'Life isn't worth living' or 'There's no hope' comes into your head, refrain from dwelling on them. Instead, imagine them as the words of someone else and refuse to listen.

Step 3: Then, later:

Ask a friend or relative to accompany you to your depression treatment appointment.
Learn as much as possible about depression from your doctor or therapist.
Tell your doctor frankly about all your feelings.
Make an effort to do the things that you used to enjoy.
Make yourself feel good by building up the amount of exercise you take each day.
Don't be afraid of being 'taken over' by help. You'll always remain as the one who takes charge of your own life.

Follow the steps above and make yourself feel good at once! Don't prolong and seek your depression treatment right away!

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Fish Oil Was the Right Depression Treatment For Me

Until the introduction of prescription anti-depressants, counseling was the main course of treatment. Some doctors suggested nutritional supplementation. For example, tryptophan was popular, before the introduction of Prozac.

Tryptophan is an amino acid found in foods such as turkey and cheese. However, it is present in foods only in small quantities.

Tryptophan was recommended because it is a precursor to serotonin. In other words, the body uses tryptophan to make serotonin.

People who have taken anti-depressants may remember that most of the new ones are referred to as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs. They work by inhibiting the re-absorption of serotonin, making its effects last longer.

Serotonin is basically a feel good chemical produced in the brain. You might wonder why serotonin is not prescribed as a depression treatment. The reason is that serotonin will not cross the blood brain barrier. It can get into the blood, but not into the brain.

Tryptophan was all but banned after a bad batch from Asia was found to contain contaminants that caused serious illnesses. It was replaced by 5 HTP.

5 HTP is another natural compound that can cross the blood brain barrier. It is also a precursor of serotonin and many people find that it is effective for relieving depressive disorders.

Personally, I found that it relieved my depressive feelings, but caused the same kind of headaches I experienced with prescription anti-depressants. Finally, I tried fish oil.

I am something of a skeptic. It was hard for me to believe that something as simple as fish oil could be an effective depression treatment. But, I was aware of the science behind it.

DHA, which is only found in some kinds of seafood, fish oil and marine algae, is a major component of the human brain. Many people, me included, sometimes fail to eat a truly balanced diet, preferring poultry and beef to fish and seafood.

When it comes to getting enough DHA, you would need to eat two servings of salmon every day to get the same amount of the nutrient that is found in the best fish oil supplements. That's more salmon than I care to eat.

Fish oil was the right depression treatment for me. Maybe, it will work for you, too.

Patsy Hamilton was a health care professional who struggled with depression for many years. Currently, she is a freelance writer. To learn more about the benefits of fish oil and how to choose a good supplement, visit http://www.best-fish-oil-dietary-supplements.com.