what to do when depression is severe?

                Thank you for your question, reader. I am sorry to hear that you have experienced severe depression; it is a debilitating and painful road to travel. Depression is always a serious issue to address, no matter what the severity. However, the more serious the depression, the more likely it is that your life has been disrupted in major ways. It is also more likely that you have experienced frequent thoughts about dying and maybe even have a suicide plan. If you have recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, safety is really of utmost importance. There is a national number that you can call if you are having suicidal thoughts or intent: 1-800-273-8255. The purpose of calling this number is to address how you are feeling and help you develop a plan for safety and implement that plan. It is not to judge you or to take your freedoms away. Common elements of a safety plan include: identifying supportive people for you to contact, a plan to keep weapons or other harmful objects out of your possession, and giving you professional assistance resources.

Depression is treatable, and people recover. So, if you give yourself a chance in therapy or are under a doctor’s care, you allow yourself to improve. People with severe depression can often benefit from a short inpatient stay at a mental health center to help stabilize their mood and keep them safe and in the company of others. Isolation is detrimental to people that are suffering from severe depression. A doctor will likely recommend a combination of talk therapy and anti-depressant medication to speed recovery. The talk therapy portion of treatment provides a place when you can talk about your feelings and experiences without judgment and learn to make some behavioral changes that can help support a healthy mood. When your mood has recovered, the losses associated with experiencing depression can be tackled. It is more difficult, for example, to address a problem like an inability to go to work or concentrate on school before getting help and support with improving your mood.