What To Expect When Starting Depression Treatment

I want you to know a little secret – depression and anxiety are completely normal and very common human emotions. In fact, they’re as natural and unavoidable as joy and wonder. But why are we so convinced that we have to extinguish the slightest bits of uneasiness we feel?

Depression and anxiety are problematic when they become all-consuming. Otherwise, they’re parts of being a living, breathing, human creature. Without anxiety or fear, we would never be on alert for dangers and therefore would not have survived as a species. While depression on the other hand may not seem as obviously useful, there are people who claim it enhances creativity and thoughtfulness, promotes empathy, and heightened awareness of physical ails.

But for you, depression may be out of hand. You might find it affecting your relationships, your libido, and even impacting your work. You sleep all the time, fail to honor commitments, and have lost all motivation. You might be gaining weight, or eating less. It’s no longer situational – depression has moved in and it’s not a fun roommate.

So now you’ve made the choice to rein in your symptoms. Here are five things you can expect as you climb your way out of a depressive valley.

It’s easy to overlook depression and just write it off as “being tired” or, conversely, assuming that depression means never getting out of bed and constantly in a state of tearful distress. But it’s far more than the physical symptoms. Depression is insidious and subtle and because it manifests differently for everyone, it is a tricky little chameleon.

Depression may have led you to isolate yourself and there’s an inherent feeling of safety in solitude. No one can hurt you when you’re all alone. Learning how to re-socialize yourself and feel safe connecting with others can be critical for your healing. Humans are designed for connection and we get sick without it.

Let’s face it – for some people, depression is like a warm, comforting blanket they can curl up in as the hours and days pass. They can neglect responsibilities, take naps, and luxuriate in the knowledge that “nothing matters” and everything is calm in the darkness. The animated sitcom Big Mouth on Netflix even features a character called Depression Kitty, an invisible being who soothes her human character by convincing her in a lazy Southern drawl that she should spend her days in bed.

There’s a reason melancholy features so heavily in literature, film, and music – it’s romantic and dreamy. We love tortured characters, the entire musical catalog of Adele, and so on… but why is it so? Perhaps we’re comforted that we aren’t alone in ever feeling pain.

Maybe you have noticed that depression makes you more pensive and introspective. That’s great – the good news is you can carry those lessons over into “non-depressed” you and reap the benefits. Practice mindfulness and see if you achieve the same effects.

Are you nervous that you will lose your creative edge? Try and reflect on what it is about depression that inspires you and how it figures into your art. Maybe your will will evolve in new and exciting ways.

Treatment can help you identify the warning signs that you’re depressed. Great! That means you can get ahead of it, start keeping yourself accountable and recognize your body’s alarm system.

You can reflect on who your biggest supporters and cheerleaders are. Time alone is wonderful and refreshing, but be sure you’re not spending too much time inside your own mind. Talk with friends and family, share your lives. If you’re more of a loner, finding ways to connect with new people might be a daunting but exciting challenge.

In treatment, you can test out a variety of helpful techniques to deal with depression. Maybe that’s finding new ways to talk to the negative voices in your head, or figuring out how to reframe experiences you’re going through. You might be recovering from trauma and discover that movement or dance is your thing.

Accepting that occasional discomfort is an inescapable part of life is part of empowering yourself. You can live happily and successfully cope with moments of sadness as they arrive. Depression might try and tell you otherwise, but you are entirely capable of navigating the storm. And always remember… no rain, no flowers.