Approximately 15 million Americans suffer from major depression each year--that accounts to between 5 and 8 percent of the population. This disorder is not simply a bad habit people from which can break free. In fact, out of all mental illness, major depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. However, treatment options do exist.
Step 1
Take a prescription medication. When diagnosed with major depressive disorder, the first step in easing your symptoms generally comes in the form of a prescription medication. The most commonly prescribed, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a class of drugs known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Depending on your condition and needs, you may be prescribed antidepressants or a combination of antidepressants and mood stabilizers or antipsychotics.
Step 2
Talk to a therapist. Therapy is known by a variety of names, including talk therapy, counseling and psychosocial therapy. Whatever you choose to call it, psychotherapy helps treat depression by encouraging you to talk openly about your feelings and determine the issues that stem from them. Your therapist can help you work through these issues, thus allowing you to overcome your depression. Therapy generally is used in conjunction with medication to increase your odds of success.
Step 3
Exercise more. Physical activity in any form, whether it be a 10-minute walk, a short jog or bike ride or an invigorating swim, can help block the symptoms of depression and prevent its mood swings from occurring due to the endorphins it releases.
Step 4
Increase your omega-3s. Fresh fish is the greatest source of this heart-healthy fatty acid. However, if you cannot tolerate fish, you still can obtain the benefits of omega-3 in the form of a supplement. Taking a 1,000 mg supplement daily is the equivalent to eating fish two to three times a week. Doing this increases the communication between the nerve cells in your brain, which has a positive impact on your condition, the Depression Resource Center reports.
Step 5
Get a full eight hours of sleep. Lack of sleep not only causes major depression, but it also results from it. A multitude of Americans suffer from depression--they also suffer from insomnia. This is due to a mix-up of hormones in the body.
During the day, your body requires serotonin for energy, and melatonin to sleep at night. When your body makes the wrong hormones at the wrong time, a result can be major depression. To combat this problem, stand in the sunlight for 30 minutes a day to reset your internal clock, thus making it easier for you to sleep and treat your depression.
