5 Common Myths About Depression

With all of the stress in your life, it’s common for you to feel down and mentally exhausted at times. But if those feelings don’t go away, and you’re struggling to do the things you love, you might have depression, and you shouldn’t be afraid to get help.

At Carolina Wellness Psychiatry, we help you dig through the slew of myths attributed to depression, so you understand how important it is to get the treatment you need. Our team consists of three professional psychiatrists, who review your feelings and symptoms and determine the best type of treatment for your condition.

Understanding depression

There are many different types of mental health disorders, with depression being at the top of the list, affecting over 260 million people worldwide. Many people, though, are afraid to seek the help they need due to the myths surrounding mental health conditions. Depression is a serious disorder, but we can manage it with different types of treatments.

Depression affects many different aspects of your life, including your social activities and your work life. It sometimes causes problems between you and your loved ones as well, because it can lead to disinterest in things you once enjoyed. This condition has a lot of other symptoms too, including:

• Sadness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty sleeping
• Trouble concentrating

Depression may become so severe that you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide. You feel as though there’s no other way out — but there absolutely is. Our team provides the treatment you need to help you get your life back.

Myths about depression

Though depression is common, many hesitate to seek help due to misinformation. The truth is, many of the myths circulating about depression aren’t true, and understanding the facts allows you to get help. Here are five common myths you may have heard about depression:

1. Depression isn’t a real thing

Sometimes, people think that depression is just a passing feeling of sadness that you can switch on and off. However, this condition is a very intricate mental health problem that affects your whole life. It’s absolutely not a weakness; it’s a medical problem that requires treatment to fight.

2. Antidepressants are always the answer

While these medications are often prescribed for depression, they aren’t the only treatment that helps. There are many different avenues of therapy, such as psychotherapy (talk therapy) and cognitive behavioral therapy, that help you battle this condition, either with or without concurrent medication. Lifestyle changes and exercise can also help.

3. Only women are affected by depression

Social stigmas are the reason this myth came about. Many men are uncomfortable admitting they’re suffering from depression, sometimes because they think it makes them seem weak. However, men are much more likely to actually commit suicide from depression. The truth is, depression doesn’t discriminate, and it can affect any person at just about any age.

4. You need to take medication forever

Antidepressants take about a month to fully kick in; however, that doesn’t mean you need to take them forever. Many times, our team suggests taking antidepressants for about a year and then begins to wean you off slowly.

5. Talking just makes things worse

When you don’t talk about your feelings, they build inside, leading to dangerous thoughts and increased sadness. Talking to someone who is unbiased, such as one of our psychiatrists, helps you sort through your feelings and get the support you need.

Only you know how you feel inside, and you have to want to get treatment to get better. Understanding the truth about depression not only gets you on the road to recovery, but also helps you get treatment quickly.

The truth about treatment

Once you’re ready to finally take charge of your depression, our team is ready to help. And once you’re diagnosed, we work hard to find the best treatment option(s) for your symptoms, taking into account the severity of your condition and what your preferred treatment avenue is.

Don’t buy into the stigma surrounding depression that wayward myths create. Instead, call Carolina Wellness Psychiatry at 919-446-3232 to set up a consultation, or request an appointment using our online booking tool.