Dealing with Depression : Get Better & Stay Better
Coping with depression isn’t easy, but the proper treatment can help you start feeling like yourself again. If you’re like many patients, you might encounter speed bumps or veer off-course on the road to recovery. Here are two common mistakes to avoid.
- Not taking your medication due to unpleasant side effects.
Some patients don’t want to take their anti-depressant medication because of the sideeffects they experience, such as mild anxiety, sleepiness, dry mouth and sexual side effects. If you’re bothered by medication side effects, know that your depression symptoms and treatment side effects should both decrease over time. Also, there are many drugs available. A different drug may work better with fewer side-effects.
The bottom line: Talk with your physician about other drugs if you’re struggling with unpleasant side effects.
- Believing you’re cured and stopping treatment.
Some patients start feeling better and believe it’s no longer necessary to take their medication. However, most people who take their anti-depression medication for less than six months find their symptoms returning within a few days or weeks of stopping the medicine. Also, stopping a drug suddenly can be dangerous; it should only be done under a doctor’s supervision. The bottom line: Talk with your physician before discontinuing a drug to ensure your safety and continued wellness. Modern medicine has enabled millions of people to successfully conquer depression. You can do it, too. If you need to discuss treatment of your depression, don’t wait; call your doctor today to schedule an appointment.
Spotting Depression
It’s normal to occasionally have “the blues,” but persistent sad, anxious or empty feelings may be a symptom of clinical depression. Roughly 25 percent of people over the age of 65 suffer symptoms of depression as well as 50 percent of stroke patients. And, older adults with diabetes are twice as likely to have depression. If you think you might be depressed, understand that it is a treatable illness with biological causes. Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed about seeking help.
You can feel happy again with proper treatment, so don’t hesitate to call your doctor to schedule an appointment.
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