Clinical depression

dropdown Depression is not a personal weakness, a personality flaw, or laziness. Don't blame yourself for becoming depressed or experiencing any of the symptoms of depression. Your symptoms are part of a medical illness. While you can't control whether you become depressed, you can seek treatment for it. dropdown Although some people recover naturally from clinical depression, many suffer with depression for weeks, months, or even years. Clinical depression can be acute, lasting for several weeks or months, or chronic, lasting for several years. How long depression lasts depends on the severity of symptoms, whether and when someone seeks treatment, and personal factors. dropdown Sometimes, the idea of needing to get help for depression is hard to think about, especially if you are feeling hopeless. The idea of getting professional help for depression may seem embarrassing to you. Some people think that taking alcohol, street drugs, or tranquilizers will make them feel better. In fact, these substances make depression worse.There can be other barriers to getting the help you need. For example, your family and friends may believe that you should be able to "get yourself together" and "snap out of it." dropdown Clinical depression is a medical illness, and like other medical illnesses, it is not fully within your control. Getting the right treatment is the key to recovery. The first step in getting the right help for depression is talking to your doctor. Your doctor will help determine if you suffer from clinical depression, and help you choose the kind of treatment that is best for you.