When to Get Help for Depression: Four Factors to Consider by Susan Quinn/Therapist: at DailyStrength Doctors and Advisors

Susan Quinn has been serving in Beverly Hills for over 20 years as a Psychotherapist and Life Coach. She combines the mind-body and energy therapies such as EMDR, EFT, and Somatic Psychotherapy. These approaches help people clear…

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When to Get Help for Depression: Four Factors to Consider

Posted in Depression by Susan Quinn on Jul 27, 2011

How do you know when to go for professional help? These are the 4 factors to consider. If you have any of them you should get help immediately.

Suicidal Thinking

If you are thinking about death, killing yourself or wanting to escape your distressful feelings through death, you are experiencing suicidal thoughts. This needs to be given immediate attention in therapy. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It is a global, irreversible and terrible solution to specific problems which depression distorts in your mind.

Depression Changing From Acute to Chronic

If you become depressed because of a traumatic event such as a break up, loss of job, illness or accident, then your depression could be considered normal in in the short term because of the circumstances. If this continues for a few months, the depression has become chronic and you may need to get help from a professional to change your outlook. The sooner you get help, the sooner you can start to experience some relief.

Lifestyle Change

Are you staying in bed late when you used to rise early? Are you losing your marriage, or abusing your body with drugs or alcohol? If you have changed your lifestyle drastically and you're not functioning up to your previous level you need to get help to stop the downward spiraling.

Distorted Thinking

You may be seeing things unrealistically (feeling hopeless, helpless, a lack of joy in activities you previously enjoyed, feeling apathy and deadness., loss of appetite, irritability). A good therapist can help you realize and change distortions that are common in people experiencing depression.

Susan Quinn

So my birthday just passed and I decided to take charge of my life and these unwanted feelings. So I went and saw a psychologist. And after one meet and greet, she told me that I should talk to my doctor about possibly getting diagnosed for depression. Ac Posted on 04/05/11 05:06:32 pm

Hi, I´m writing because I don´t know what´s going on, lately I haven´t felt so good, I know that my life isn´t in its best moment right know, especially on job related issues, and financially, I don´t know if that´s enough to fell worthless sometim Posted on 04/04/11 04:47:57 pm

Lack of energy and tired most of time. Fun things have disappeared. Posted on 03/13/11 11:54:13 am

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CATEGORIES: Overview

CONDITIONS AND COMMUNITIES: Alcoholism • Bereavement • Bereavement - Teens • Depression • Depression - Teen • Depression in Children • Depression Supporters • Healthy Relationships • Pet Bereavement • Post Partum Depression • Prescription and Synthetic Drug Abuse • Unemployment • Bipolar Disorder • Bipolar Disorder - Teen • Breakups & Divorce • Families & Friends Affected By Suicide • Family & Friends of Bipolar • Financial Challenges • Infidelity • Life After Divorce • Loneliness • Seasonal Affective Disorder • The Financial Crisis

TAGS: Symptoms

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Retired @ 59, live alone, estranged from son & grandchildren, mother passed away in Nov.,still have my dad who is blind & alzheimers. Have to be around for him. Divorced for 20 yrs, no dating, don't go anywhere, medical: heart attack, stroke, COPD,GERD & HH,asthma,overweight (maybe 60 lbs.), cry a lot,
Dr.recommends psych treatment, can't afford it. Tired all the time and tired of all the heartache. Does anyone see any reason to keep going except to look after my dad?

By prayandwait Aug 02, 2011

If, it's due to a medical problem, the depression is a gradual decline and so then it is hard to tell that you are depressed.

By energylost Aug 01, 2011

Sometimes it's hard to figure out that you could be depressed if you R functioning outa bed with a job that you go to daily. It's hard to detect, especially if a MEDICAL PROBLEM is the CAUSE of the depression.

By energylost Jul 29, 2011

The thing is sometimes it's hard to figure out that you R depressed if you are one that functions outa bed and gets up on time & has a regular day.

By energylost Jul 29, 2011

When the depression is caused by a medical problem, it is often difficult to figure out that you're depressed. If doctors don't give us a chance to FEEL better then it's difficult to figure out that you R depressed.

Then when the OTHER medical problems come to surface, the doc stays focused on giving an anti-depressant for the OTHER medical conditions that are CAUSING the depression.

I was most definintely functioning outa bed and getting up at the regular time and having 17-hour days but didn't know that I was so depressed. I figured it out yrs later when I realized that smiling was a hard thing to do, I could laugh at a good joke but just didn't FEEL happy. So now that, that surfaced, the doc ONLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE DEPRESSION and nothing else that MEDICALLY CAUSED the depression, hmmm!!!

By energylost Jul 29, 2011

Problem being if you tell someone you are thinking about death, you are likely to be locked up which can make your life even worse because of the bills, drugs, ruined reputation. I even had a counselor drop me because I told him that 6 months ago I went through a dark period where I did consider suicide. Bang! No more therapist for me...thanks a lot.

By stephanietram Jul 28, 2011

I just wanted to make a quick note about the first paragraph “Suicidal Thinking”. The line where it says, “Suicide is a temporary solution to a permanent problem” I believe is meant to say, Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I was reading the article and notice this which didn’t sound right to me. I’m always up for any advice on depression and hope this will also help others in need.

By xtinab83 Jul 27, 2011

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Depression Changing From Acute to Chronic

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