Feeling Depressed?

My friend Jasmine told me the other day, “I feel so stressed. I’m not sure if I am developing depression?”

I shared with her a resource called the Depression Toolkit. The University of Michigan Comprehensive Depression Center developed it. It can help people who may have depression or other mood and anxiety disorders.

The assessment tool helped Jasmine to identify the signs of depression or was simply sad.

Resources in the toolkit helped her learn what other lifestyle changes she could make to get better and stay well.

When depression affects one family member, it affects the whole family. Jasmine also shared the family resource section with her partner. This helped him cope with the situation. It helped him better understand and support her needs.

Best of all, this toolkit is available for free from the University of Michigan Depression Center website.

One in every five people in the US suffers from depression.

I am sharing this resource with you today because you may know someone who does. Hopefully, this toolkit will be helpful for them too.

Together, we can help catch the depression in the early stages when it is easier to treat.

In my practice, I have found that people who educate themselves about their condition feel more empowered. They monitor their health more effectively and take prompt steps to achieve their highest level of functioning.

One problem is that many people do not recognize when they are developing depression. Even when they do realize it, they may sometimes hesitate to seek help. Some people may believe that it might start to define them or that they should not need help to overcome it.

A person is much more than their diagnosis.

If someone meets the criteria, it merely means that they are showing signs of depression. Your personality, talents, skills, and compassion are your defining traits – not depression.

Like diabetes or epilepsy, depression is an illness. If you have diabetes, you need to take steps to control your blood sugar, right? Similarly, if you have depression, you need to take action to manage your mental health.

Click here to visit the University of Michigan Depression Center website.

You can also copy and paste the link in your web browser:
https://www.depressioncenter.org/depression-toolkit

Please share this resource to help those who may be suffering from depression or feeling depressed.

Let me know what you found most useful and if you have any questions.