Seeking Help for Dealing with Depresson

When to Seek Help for Dealing with Depression?

This is a question that many people struggle to answer as there is no right or wrong answer and it is different for all of us.  Below are some indicators you might be on the path to depression or already depressed.  The criteria below were taken from a group of respondents participating in a study to learn how to deal with their depression.  Use the list to begin to help you learn your warning signs of depression, combat your depression before it becomes all-consuming and most importantly to get the help you need in dealing with your depression.  If you need to seek the help of a professional, please do so immediately. 

Many people deal with their depression on their own successfully.  This website provides many wonderful tools to help you learn how to deal with your depression.  The sooner you recognize your depressed or entering a depressed state, the easier it will be for you to combat your depression.    If you feel your own attempts to cope with your depression are failing, please contact a trained counselor or psychologists.  Many people respond to; “they know they are depressed”, when their own efforts to overcome their depression do not work.    You can access our trained counselor for free at any time by going to the free help tab above.  But we urge you to seek out face to face counseling if you deem it necessary.  

I know I'm depressed or on my way to depression when:

• when I loose interest in things I love or do daily
• when my thinking becomes irrational
• when feelings of sadness overwhelms me
• when feelings of sadness or negative thoughts lasts for a week
• when my sleeping patterns change; I sleep too much or not at all
• when I don't eat; I have no appetite
• when I eat too much to make my depressed feeling go away
• when my desire to have sex goes away
• when I stop going out with my friends
• when I isolate myself from my family
• when I can't focus on what matters
• when I can't work
• when I cant motivate myself
• when the depression overwhelms me
• when I'm paralyzed by my thoughts
• when I can't move
• when I'm negative about most everything
• when I don't laugh or smile anymore
• when I see only black and white
• when I feel depressed for too long
• when I feel emotionally fragile
• when I get mad all the time
• when I can't stand the negative emotions anymore
• when my emotions hurt me physically
• when I start to think about suicide
• when I don't care what I look like
• when I stop taking care of myself
• when I start thinking about divorce or separation
• when I notice I spend too much time on the couch watching TV
• when I feel hopeless and helpless
• when I cry all the time
• when I finally cry
• when I stay in bed all the time
• when I feel emotionally overwhelmed and out of control
• when it lasts for more than a week
• when my depression is out of proportion to my circumstances
• when my thoughts do not make sense
• when others tell me I'm not myself
• when it lasts more than two days