I am having trouble with depression and relationships and always want to be home, what can I do to be happy and enjoy time with friends?

graceann asked this

Answers (2)

Dr. Camilo Ortiz (Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology) answered (1/28/2013)

HI Graceann,

There are lots of things that someone can do to feel better when they are feeling depressed. But the first thing to do is decide whether you want to try to get yourself out of this funk or whether you want professional help. Some guidelines to help you decide are: 1) has this been going on for more than 3 months? 2) Is it affecting your sleep or appetite? 3) Do you ever have thoughts of suicide? 4) Have you tried helping yourself and not gotten better? 5) Do you feel sad most days? 6) Do you not enjoy things you used to? If you answer yes to any of these questions, it is probably worth consulting with a psychologist or a psychiatrist. While many kinds of psychotherapy can be useful for depression, the types with the most evidence are called cognitive therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy. A great place to find a therapist with this expertise is the website abct.org. I hope you feel better soon.

-Dr. Ortiz

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Michelle Otelsberg (Marriage & Family Therapist) answered (1/30/2013)

Hi Graceann -

I completely agree with Dr. Ortiz. I just want to add that depression is a difficult thing - when we feel depressed, we tend to isolate, which leads to us feeling alone and depressed and sometimes even guilty, which in turn leads to more depression. Sometimes with depression we take on the motto "Fake it till you make it". What I mean by that is, sometimes even though you feel like you just want to stay home because nothing is enjoyable, we need to engage in life (exercise, see friends, etc) in order for our endorphins to start working and helping us to feel better. It takes a lot of effort, it's not something that happens overnight, which is why is is helpful to seek out a therapist and/or psychiatrist.

Good Luck
Michelle