The most common mental illness diagnosed today is depression. Around 7 percent of the adult population in the United States suffers from major depressive episodes every year, and even more are diagnosed with chronic depression and other forms of depression. If you are suffering from depression, you should know that you are not alone. The most important thing that you can do now is to seek out professional medical treatment. Depression is a condition that can be treated and can improve with treatment. Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t delay treatment for depression.
Delaying Can Get Worse
What many people don’t realize when they delay treatment for depression is that delaying treatment can lead to worsening of symptoms. If you are suffering from depression, there is a reason to seek treatment right away. If you can treat depression before it worsens, you can avoid the worst outcomes of depression while simultaneously making your depression easier to treat and requiring less treatment over time. If you think that you will just get over your depression on your own, consider whether it might be a better investment of your time to simply seek treatment and get help right away.
Alternative Therapies Exist
Some people delay seeking treatment for depression because they don’t like the idea of taking antidepressant drugs as a means of coping with mental health issues. While you may be prescribed an antidepressant as an option to help you treat your depression, there are alternative therapies available from medical professionals that you can explore in addition to or instead of traditional psychopharmacological treatment options. TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, is a promising alternative treatment. TMS can aid with many disorders, not just depression. You should discuss the possible alternative with your doctor.
Decrease the Risk of Suicide
Unfortunately, many people who suffer from depression and delay their treatment end up taking their lives because of delaying treatment. Depression is no joke and should not be treated lightly. If you or someone you know has expressed suicidal thoughts, you should seek help immediately. The sooner you treat depression, the less likely suicidal thoughts and actions are. By seeking treatment early in the onset of your depression, you can save your life.
Depression is a serious mental illness that has a major negative effect on quality of life and health. You should seek treatment for depression. Otherwise, delaying treatment can worsen your symptoms and increase the risk of suicide. There are multiple treatment options available! You are not alone.
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