Mild Depression Treatment
In this blog we explore the subject of depression and look at mild depression treatment.
According to the World Health Organisation, 3.8% or approximately 280 million people worldwide have Depression. Here in NZ, nearly half the population will meet the criteria for a mental illness diagnosis at some stage during their lives. Mental wellness is complex and consequently can take many forms, with each person’s experience, journey, symptoms and intensity varying.
Mental wellness is not a static, singular thing, meaning it has shade and scale, nor is it the same for everyone. So treatments, support and management for Depression needs to be equally as varied and available. In this blog, we focus on mild Depression, what it is and what mild Depression treatment options are available to you.
What Is Mild Depression?
Mild Depression refers to the level of the Depression severity rather than a specific depression type. It’s important to note that mild Depression is more than just temporarily feeling blue; symptoms can go on for many days or longer and are noticeable enough to interfere with your usual activities. Often people with mild Depression can function in everyday life but may have feelings of sadness and lower energy reserves.
People with mild Depression can often go undiagnosed, as symptoms are harder to pinpoint, explain or understand. Often symptoms are brushed aside as they may not instantly be recognised as mild Depression. Common symptoms of Depression (including mild Depression) can include:
- tiredness
- hopelessness
- change in appetite
- feelings of guilt, despair or sadness
- frequent crying
- feeling agitated
- irritability or anger
- decreased or a lack of motivation
- Insomnia, change in sleep patterns, daytime sleepiness and fatigue
- lack of enjoyment or pleasure, a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
- difficulties concentrating at work
- self-loathing
- a sudden disinterest in socialising
- aches and pains
- weight changes
Mild Depression Treatment
If you feel like you may be experiencing mild Depression, you are not alone. Depression is treatable in all degrees, and there are plenty of treatment options to help you get your spark back. Mild Depression is certainly not something you just need to just get used to or ignore.
The good news is that mild Depression is the easiest to treat; certain lifestyle changes can go a very long way in boosting our mood.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle refers to proactively taking care of your wellbeing. Which can often involve simple daily life changes that can support an overall improvement in your wellbeing.
Whether you choose to add more exercise to your week, adjust your sleep routine, or try to eat a healthier diet, taking care of your body can help you take care of your mind, too.
Therapy
Talk therapy is effective for treating and managing a wide range of mental health conditions, not just Depression. Therapy can help ease melancholic feelings in the moment and can also help you notice unhealthy patterns or behaviours in your life that can be addressed and changed. There are various types of therapy, and therapists, so taking the time to find the right mixture of both is important. Here is an example of some that can support all levels of depression.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Talk Therapy
- Brainwave Entrainment
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Conclusion
If you feel like you may be suffering from Mild Depression or Depression on a larger scale, It would be recommended that your first step would be to see your GP and discuss how you are feeling. Then decide which treatment options you would like to explore. There is not a ‘one size fits all’ treatment approach, so be sure to keep an open mind, and if something is not working for you, don’t be discouraged; keep trying till you find the right treatment that works for you.