How to Overcome Depression: 5 Things You Can Do NOW to Make a Meaningful Impact by Sherry Amatenstein, LCSW

In my 12 years as a practicing mental health clinician, hundreds of patients have walked through my door suffering from depression. This is not surprising given that the National Network of Depression Centers has found that one in five Americans will be impacted by depression during their lifetimes. Indeed, depression is the leading cause of disability among those between ages 15-44.

While Major Depression Disorder (MDD)—often biochemically based and with genetic roots—can be extremely difficult to navigate and often requires psych meds, here is an encouraging statistic: within four to six weeks of starting treatment 80% of depression sufferers show improvement.

​This doesn’t mean that there is a quick fix as in “Boom, you’re cured and will never again be beset by the blues.”  However, there are techniques that can help lift the emotional paralysis and ruminating that often accompany depression. Both of which make it much more difficult for the patient to focus on implementing the behavioral changes necessary to prevent a relapse. Luckily, there are ways to punch holes in the curtain of unrelenting darkness.

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