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Although many people feel
that they should be able to "snap out of it" or "pull themselves
up by their own bootstraps," when depression becomes a chronic
and debilitating disorder, it is time to reach out for help.
If you are not sure whether you are clinically depressed,
you may want to check the Self-Rating Scale for Depression
which appears on the Navigation Bar. After you have answered
the questions, ask yourself, "Are my moods or symptoms beginning
to interfere with the way that I cope with daily life?" If
the answer is "yes," or even "maybe," it is time to get assistance.
Ideally, the time to get help is before things really get
bad.
There
are a number of qualified health care professionals who offer
care and treatment for depression. They include:
* psychiatrists
* clinical psychologists
* clinical social workers
* psychiatric nurse practitioners
* family practice physicians and internists
* marriage and family counselors
* pastoral counselors
* clergy
* drug and alcohol counselors
Although only psychiatrists,
physicians and nurse practitioners can prescribe medication,
members of the other groups offer psychotherapy and often
"refer out" for the medication component. Thus, you may end
up seeing a medical doctor for your medication and another
professional for therapy. The relationship between doctor
and patient, or therapist and client, plays a critical role
in the healing process.
Your
relationship with your mental health care provider will be
as important as any treatment you choose. Consequently, it
is important that you feel comfortable with him or her. In
this respect, it is a good idea to interview several therapists
before you make a final decision about the person who will
be your guide and advocate. Obtaining the proper referral
is an important initial first step in your healing. There
are several ways to do this.
- Word
of mouth. Ask people you know (family, coworkers,
friends, a family physician or internist) if they know of
anyone who has been helpful to them or others.
- State
licensing boards. You can call and ask for referrals.
Feel free to ask about a practitioner's credentials, how
long he or she has been in practice, and his or her experience
in treating major depression.
-
Associations of helping professionals.
You can contact these organizations for referrals to mental
health professionals in your area.
Here
are some phone numbers to start with.
* American
Psychiatric Association: (202) 682-6220
* American Psychological Association: (202) 336-5800
* National Association of Social Workers: (800) 638-8799
* American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy:
(202) 452-0109
* American Association of Pastoral Counselors: (703) 385-6967
* American Society of Clinical Hypnosis: (312) 645-9810
To assist you in getting
started with assessing your treatment options, the following
pages provide an overview of the standard treatment modalities
for clinical depression-psychotherapy, medication, and electroconvulsive
therapy (ECT). In addition, I have included a number of alternative
medical approaches such as diet, exercise, magnetic therapy,
and the supplementation with herbs, vitamins, minerals, and
amino acids.
Treatments
For Depression and Anxiety
Please
click on the appropriate text link below
to locate the information you are seeking.
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