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I don't claim to be an expert and I certainly don't have all the answers. What I can share with you are some of the things that have, and have not helped me. Let me start by saying that when I was first diagnosed with depression several years ago, it came as a complete shock to me. The more I learned, the more I realized that it made perfect sense. I never considered I might be depressed since I didn't ALWAYS feel badly, but when I did it was so bad that I couldn't make heads or tails of it.

Initially what helped me was support from family. Getting it out there and letting those close to me know what was going on, having an actual name for what I was feeling, felt like a weight had been lifted.

Talking with a professional helped. It wasn't just the fact of talking about it. I had spent years telling family and friends everything that had been going on in my life and it didn't seem to help at all. Talking with a professional who could help me pinpoint triggers and symptoms gave me tools to deal with what was happening to me.

Being aware of what was actually happening in my life proved to be the most successful "treatment" for me. Being able to recognize the symptoms as they started to occur helps me to take preemptive measures before things get too bad. For me the first symptom is usually excessive amounts of sleep. I find myself staying in bed longer and taking naps throughout the day. I also tend to become more irritable over little things, edgy about everything in my life. That is usually followed by staying home and wanting to be alone more and more frequently.

I don't have any cure for you. Anti-depressants didn't really work for me, but I have heard great success stories from a lot of people about them. When my symptoms start creeping up I actually force myself to do things I don't want to do. Just getting out of the house, seeing a movie, being with friends, playing with my dog. Anything to keep from dwelling on problems in my life.

Learn more about this author, A. Stupay.
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