Depression

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Depression and heart disease

Depression and insomnia

Depression and the menstrual cycle

Depression in children

Blues; Gloom; Sadness; Melancholy

If you are depressed for 2 weeks or longer, you should contact your doctor, who can offer treatment options. Regardless of the type and severity of your depression, the following self-care steps can help:

• Get enough sleep.
• Follow a healthy, nutritious diet.
• Exercise regularly.
• Avoid alcohol, marijuana, and other recreational drugs.
• Get involved in activities that make you happy, even if you don't feel like it.
• Spend time with family and friends.
• If you are a religious or spiritual person, talking to clergy or spiritual advisors may help give meaning to painful experiences.
• Consider meditation, tai chi, or related activities as ways to relax.
• Add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet, which you can get in over-the-counter supplements or from eating fish such as tuna, salmon, or mackerel.

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If your depression occurs in the fall or winter months, try light therapy using a special lamp that mimics the sun.

If you have moderate to severe depression, the most effective treatment plan will likely involve a combination of talk therapy, lifestyle changes, and medication.

Call 911, a suicide hotline, or go to a nearby emergency room if you have thoughts of harming yourself or others.

Call your doctor if:

• You hear voices that are not there
• You have frequent crying spells with little or no provocation
• You have had feelings of depression that disrupt work, school, or family life for longer than 2 weeks
• You have three or more depressive symptoms
• You think that one of your current medications may be making you feel depressed -- DO NOT change or stop any medications without consulting your doctor
• You believe that you should cut back on drinking, a family member or friend has asked you to cut back, you feel guilty about the amount of alcohol you drink, or you drink alcohol first thing in the morning

A complete history, a psychiatric interview, and a physical examination will be performed to try to classify your depression as mild, moderate, or severe and to see if there is an underlying, treatable cause (such as alcohol abuse or an underactive thyroid). Hospitalization is usually recommended if suicide seems possible.