However, some people become depressed and dont know why.
If you’re wondering, “Why am I depressed?”
and have no real answers, it’s helpful to know some potential causes of depression.
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We also share treatment options so you’ve got the option to start to feel better again.
Click below to listen now.
This leaves them to wonder, “Why am I depressed?”
without giving them any real answer.
When they realize the people around them have not experienced depression, a person can feel very alone.
They might also worry about being a burden to othersor being seen as a liability.
In relationships, people with depression may not talk about their experiences because they are afraid others wont understand.
They may worry that their spouse, family, and friends will stop loving them.
They might fear the people they care about willblame them for the feelings they have.
The way someone elses life comes off as may not show the whole truth.
People who are depressed may work very hard to attempt to hide how they really feel.
On the outside,they can look and even act as though they feel okayand that everything is fine.
As much as it is a mental illness, depression can also be physical.
To get treatment, a person with depression needs to feel safe talking about how they are feeling.
Depression can be, needs to be, and deserves to be treated.
However, there are many ways to treat the condition.
Know this: Every person with depression deserves treatment.
Will Depression Treatment Help?
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is one of the first-line options used to treat depression.
Online therapy optionsare also available.
These can provide a convenient and sometimes more affordable way to access treatment for depression.
Such programs can also be a useful supplement to in-person therapy, medications, and other treatment tools.
Medications are often used in combination with psychotherapy.
For many people, using therapy and antidepressants together can effectively treat depression.
However, these interventions alone may not adequately address symptoms for every person with depression.
ECT involves the brief tool of an electrical pulse to the scalp to get to produce a seizure.
These treatments may be recommended for someone whose symptoms havent responded to medication or therapy.
Depression (and its treatment) is a complex process thats not one-size-fits-all.
You wont be able to help someone else until you have taken care of your own emotional needs.
This doesnt mean you should put your emotional needs second or withhold your own feelings.
If you are worried about them, maintaining a lifeline can reassure you of their safety and well-being.
Focusing more on these underlying causes instead of looking for reasons for depression can be more helpful.
Exploring your treatment options can get you back on track and feeling better.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
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The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.The overlap between low self-esteem and anxiety/depression in CAMHS.
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American Psychiatric Association.What is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)?
National Institute of Mental Health.Brain stimulation therapies.
Kupferberg A, Bicks L, Hasler G.Social functioning in major depressive disorder.Neurosci Biobehav Rev.
2020;17(3):207-221. doi:10.30773/pi.2019.0171
Greenstein L.Depression doesnt need an explanation.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
