You’ve noticed something isn’t right. Maybe your energy levels are lower than usual, or your sleep habits are completely off. Your depressed mood feels heavier, like it’s taking over your day-to-day life. What started as a rough patch now feels like it’s piling up, and you’re wondering if this isn’t just a bad week or month anymore. It might feel like your mental health condition is spiraling, and the same old ways you’ve tried to cope aren’t cutting it anymore.
Take a deep breath. You’re not alone, and there are real, concrete steps you can take. In this blog post, we will cover some of the common risk factors that might be contributing to your depressive episode and what you can do about them. By the end, you’ll hopefully feel better prepared to handle this tough time.
You Are Dealing with Stressful Events
Stress can be a major trigger that worsens depression symptoms. If your life has felt like a tornado lately, you could be carrying a load too heavy for your mental health to handle. The stress could be from work pressure, family members who need your help, medical conditions, financial struggles, or even big life changes. Stress constantly activates your fight-or-flight response, which can make a depressed mood linger or intensify.
Take a step back and think about what’s causing your stress. Identifying the source can feel like taking some of the weight off. From there, try strategies like setting smaller, manageable goals, taking breaks, or learning to say no when you’re stretched too thin.
Lean on your support system, too. This might be trusted family members, friends, or a mental health professional who can guide you through the chaos. If it feels overwhelming, even just writing down what’s stressing you out can calm your brain enough to focus on solutions.
You Are Following Poor Lifestyle Habits
Your lifestyle plays a big role in how you feel. Poor sleep habits, skipping meals, lack of regular exercise, or being glued to your phone late at night could all be making things worse than they need to be. When we don’t treat our bodies well, it affects our mood, energy levels, and even how we think. It’s like a domino effect on our mental health condition.
But the good news? Small lifestyle tweaks can make a world of difference. Start with sleep. Create a bedtime routine that helps you wind down and stick to it! When it comes to food, aim for balanced meals with plenty of veggies, proteins, and good fats.
Move your body, even if it’s just a 10-minute walk each day. Exercise has been shown to boost your mood and reduce symptoms of major depressive disorder. And lastly, put your phone in another room when you’re trying to sleep; trust me, social media scrolling isn’t helping your brain recharge.
You Are Experiencing Side Effects of Medication
Sometimes, medication meant to help can cause unwanted side effects. For some people with depression, these medications can have side effects like fatigue, nausea, or even a worsening of depression symptoms. While medication can be lifesaving, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. What works for someone else may not work for you.
If you suspect this could be what’s going on, get in touch with your primary care doctor or psychiatrist as soon as possible. They might adjust your dose, try a different medication, or recommend adding therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to your treatment for depression.
It’s vital not to change medications on your own, though—always involve a healthcare provider when making such adjustments. Monitoring how you feel after a medication change is key, so keep a journal to note improvements or side effects that come up.
You Are Not Getting Proper Treatment
If you’re not seeking treatment for depression or following your treatment plan, your depressive episode may not improve as expected. Maybe you pushed off seeing a mental health professional because you were “too busy,” or stopped taking your medication because you started feeling better. Without consistent treatment, clinical depression can deepen, making that light at the end of the tunnel feel far away.
Revisit your approach to managing your mental health condition. If you haven’t reached out to a professional yet, schedule an appointment or if you’ve been lax with following your prescribed treatment plan, re-commit to it. Not every treatment works perfectly on the first try, so it’s okay to try something new, like adding CBT or tweaking your medications. Remember, there’s always somewhere to turn, even if things feel hopeless.
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It’s hard to ask for help or admit when things aren’t going well, but you’ve already taken the first step by recognizing that your depression is worsening. Whether it’s dealing with stress, making changes to your lifestyle, rethinking your medication, or getting back on track with treatment, there’s always something you can do to feel better. Be patient with yourself and lean on loved ones or professionals when you need support.
If you need help with depression, substance abuse, or any other mental health disorder, you can reach out to Zoe Behavioral Health. Our top-notch facility located in Lake Forest, CA is ready to welcome you into a compassionate and comfortable environment of healing.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our treatment services.