Depression Treatment
Effective treatment for depression will vary from person to person. Some find success with counseling while others receive great benefits from support groups.
Medication
A lot of people will not like what I have to say here, but please understand this is my own opinion.
I am not a doctor so I am only speaking from my experiences. That's what makes this site so unique from so many others value that.
I am not a believer in medication (solely) to treat depression unless a person is so out of control they are in immediate danger of hurting themselves or others.
Yes, I know medication has helped thousands upon thousands of people deal with their anxiety and depression, however it is not a cure.
The medication does not treat the source of the depression. It only treats the symptoms. In order to make depression go away completely, you need to attack the source and get to the cause. Medication is often only a temporary solution.
Here's an example...
Let's say Mandy was teased horribly as a child for being overweight. It got so bad she hated going to school and ended up dropping out in the 11th grade.
Years later, Mandy is still affected by the teasing and has trouble holding a job. The anxiety around others is just too great. Her hands are always sweaty, she stumbles her words and has heart palpitations when she's around others.
She goes to her doctor for treatment and the doctor prescribes some form of medication. This is great for her symptoms (the sweaty palms, heart palpitations, etc.) but it's not dealing with the ROOT of the problem - which is Mandy's self esteem.
So Mandy spends hundreds of dollars over the course of a year refilling her prescription but is never really working on attacking the source of all her woes. Mandy does not love herself and until she really learns how, she may be on meds for a long time as she continues to battle her anxiety and depression.
That's the problem I have with doctors being so quick to just throw out a slip of paper with a scribbled prescription on it. I'd rather more of them offer some kind of counseling.
Don't get me wrong, many of them do, but I also know of ones that don't even attempt to get to the root of the problem. They're busy so it's easier just to send their patients to the drugstore.
Counseling AND medication are often a good combination because even though the patient is using meds to treat the symptoms, at least the counseling will help get to the root of the depression so it goes away for good.
Counseling/Therapy
If your depression is to the point that it is controlling your life, then I strongly suggest you seek help from a therapist. I know for some it's difficult to admit you may need to talk to someone but it can really make a difference.
It's really best to have someone refer a therapist to you, but if you don't know of anyone that can help you, your family doctor should be able to recommend someone. Also, check the back of your insurance card. Often times there is a phone number for mental wellness on the back.
I saw a therapist for 6 months. She didn't help me completely cure my depression, but she gave me some great tactics to deal with my anxiety and worry when I was going through it. My sessions weren't as effective as they could have been because I don't feel I was as honest as I could have been. If you really want to get the most out of your sessions AND your money, be ready to be open and honest with your therapist.
Journal Writing
This can be very powerful if done often enough. Oprah wasn't lying to us when she said everyone should keep a journal. :)
When you write down your troubles, it gives you a chance to really visualize what's bothering you.
Now you might say, "What's the point? I already know what's troubling me. Why do I need to write it down too?"
Sure you already know, but there's something about seeing it expressed in front of you. It really helps you internalize the various issues you face.
My therapist asked me to keep a journal on certain topics, and I would read to her what I wrote during our sessions. This was quite helpful for me because it gave her a chance to comment on my feelings. What's really cool about journal writing is when you start to get better, you can look back at the "olden days" and see how far you've progressed. Now that's fun!
Talk to a Friend
I was never able to do this, but many find comfort in confiding in a friend or relative about their depression. It's not good to keep everything bottled up inside of you so you may find relief in simply telling someone about your pain. Maybe they can help in some way. Who knows, maybe your friend will open up to you about issues they are going through.
Find a Support Group
People often find comfort in joining support groups. Sometimes it feels good to know you're not alone, and it helps when you can relate to others going through the same issues you face. To locate online and offline support groups go here.