When diagnosed with depression, your doctor will have likely recommended that you visit other health care professionals. He or she may have suggested a visit to a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a social worker, depending on your individual needs. These team members should have been working together on your recovery, providing you with consistent advice and monitoring your progress. However, this does not always happen; so it is important that you ensure that your team members are informed of your work with each of them.
One of the symptoms of depression is withdrawing from life.
1 This can mean isolating yourself from friends, family and co-workers - the very people that could offer you support and encouragement. A support system is important to anyone’s wellbeing but it is crucial during recovery. See the tips for building a support network of family and friends
click here.
Other candidates for your recovery team may be members of a self-help group. There is no substitute for being among people who have “been there.” They will offer advice, support, coping tips and share their struggles on their own journey to recovery. They also provide role models for you. They will tell you (and show you) that there is hope - if they can recover, you can too. For information about support groups in your area, check out these resources:
The Mood Disorders Society of Canada.
http://www.mooddisorderscanada.ca
The Mood Disorders Society of Ontario.
http://www.mooddisorders.on.ca
The Mood Disorders Association of British Columbia.
www.mdabc.net
The Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba.
www.depression.mb.ca
Revivre.
www.revivre.org
Your role on your recovery team
Early in your treatment, you may not feel up to active involvement but as soon as you can, you need to become a full partner in your journey of recovery.
What you can do:
- Educate yourself about depression, its causes and the various treatment options available to you.
- Observe yourself and how you are feeling and behaving. Your health professionals depend on you to describe your symptoms to them. Sometimes it is helpful to ask friends or family for their observations as well.
- Report suicidal thoughts immediately. People with depression often experience these thoughts and tragically, some act on them.2 Take these symptoms seriously. Your recovery team will. For a resource to assist you see Coping with Suicidal Thoughts available as a free download at: http://www.comh.ca/publications/pages/cwst/
- Relapse is possible.9 With help from your recovery team you can work to develop a wellness plan that helps you recognize when symptoms are returning, early on, so you can get help as soon as possible.
See tips for talking to health care professionals
click here
