Depression Treatment Therapy, Medication, and Lifestyle Changes That Can Help. When you’re depressed, it can feel like you’ll never get out from under its shadow. However, even the most severe depression is a treatable condition. There are many effective ways to deal with depression, including lifestyle changes, therapy, medications, and alternative treatments. Learning about the treatment options will help you decide what measures are most likely to work best for your particular situation and needs. Just as no two people are affected the exact same way by depression, there is no “one size fits all” treatment that cures depression. What works for one person might not work for another. The best way to treat depression is to become as informed as possible about the treatment options, and then tailor them to meet your needs. Depression treatment tips: * Learn as much as you can about your depression. It’s important to determine whether your depression symptoms are due to an underlying medical condition. If so, that condition will need to be treated first. How severe your depression is also has a role in treatment; the more severe the depression, the more intensive the treatment is likely to be. * It takes time to find the right treatment. It might take some trial and error to find the treatment and supports that works best for you. For example, it might take a few tries to find a therapist that you click with if you decide to pursue therapy. Or you may try different types of exercise, finally to find that what’s best for you may be a twenty-minute walk after work. Be open to change and a little experimentation. * Don’t rely on medications alone. It’s hard to escape ads about medication as a treatment for depression. Although medication can be effective for severe depression, studies have shown that therapy can be as effective or even a more effective treatment for many types of depression. Therapy and/or lifestyle changes may be all you need, and they come without the side effects of medication. If you do decide to try medication, remember that medication works best when you pursue therapy as well. * Get social support. The more you cultivate your social connections, the more protected you are from depression. If you are feeling stuck, don’t hesitate to talk to trusted family members or friends. Asking for help is not a weakness but a sign of strength. * Treatment takes time and commitment. All of these depression treatments take time, and sometimes it might feel overwhelming or frustratingly slow. That is normal. Recovery has its ups and downs. Lifestyle changes are simple but powerful tools in treating depression. Sometimes they might be all you need. Even if you need other treatment as well, lifestyle changes go a long way towards helping lift depression. And they can help keep depression at bay once you are feeling better. Lifestyle changes that can treat depression * Exercise. Regular exercise provides natural, mood lifting chemical changes in your body. You don’t have to train for a marathon; even a short walk every day will help. * Nutrition. Eating a regular, balanced diet is important for both your physical and mental health. * Sleep. Poor sleep has a strong effect on mood. Make getting the right amount of sleep for you a priority. * Social Support. Strong social networks reduce isolation, a key risk factor for depression. Keep in regular contact with friends and family, or consider joining a class or group. Volunteering is a wonderful way to get social support and help others while also helping yourself. * Stress Reduction. Make changes in your life to help manage and reduce stress. Too much stress exacerbates depression and puts you at risk for future depression.

It's said to be AS effective as counseling, but a cheaper fix so the health insurance companies prefer it. The downside is that they are habit forming, you cannot stop taking it without the supervision of your doctor. Strangely if you suddenly stop taking it you can suffer from severe depression and even suicidal thoughts. Some depression medications cannot be taken by people under 18 because they are especially prone to the suicidal thoughts problem.