Getting Help and Treatment
It's important to ask for help if you think you're experiencing depression. Without treatment, depression can last for months or even years, and can lead to other serious challenges in your life.
With care and treatment, depression CAN get better! Between 80 and 90 percent of people who are treated for depression experience significant improvement, and almost all people get some relief with treatment. Early treatment is best.
You can start by visiting your college health center, mental health services department, or off-campus doctor. The health care provider you talk to can screen you for depression. They can also make sure that you don’t have another health problem that might be causing your depression.
If your health care provider thinks that you may be experiencing depression, they might refer you to a mental health specialist, such as a therapist or psychiatrist. A mental health specialist can give you psychotherapy (or “talk therapy”) to help you address thoughts, feelings, situations, and relationships in your life that might be contributing to your depression. Some colleges also offer on-campus individual or group counseling.
Your doctor or mental health specialist might also prescribe you an antidepressant medication, either alone or in combination with psychotherapy. If you take antidepressants, it’s important to keep track of how they affect you and to follow-up with your doctor. You might have to try a few different antidepressants before you and your doctor find what works best for you.
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