How to Handle Depression After Treatment

Throughout life, many experiences and situations result in sadness, grief, anxiety, or depression. Some individuals find that, after treatment, difficult situations, like the loss of a job or the death of a loved one, trigger an emotional reaction such as depression. Depression is not the easiest thing to understand because the emotional processes you deal with on a day-to-day basis aren't always clear. Dealing with depression after treatment may require a counselor and a doctor to cope with certain situations that arise. However, how can you accurately explain to your health provider how you feel, when sadness is the only thing present?

Getting Depression Diagnosed

Feeling sad after you undergo treatment is not an uncommon element of addiction recovery. Many people experience depression when they undergo emotional sadness with situations such as an ending relationship or the loss of a family member. Reaching out to your counselor or your doctor to tell them how you feel is the best way to let them know if you're dealing with some depression symptoms.

In most cases, the counselor or doctor will have a conversation with you to figure out the clinical diagnosis of your symptoms. Depression has characteristics of sadness and grief, but the diagnosis of depression is a little different than simply the normal human experience of sadness. Everyone feels pain and sadness at some time in their life, but the intensity of depression far exceeds normal sadness. 

Many individuals who deal with depressive disorders feel worthless. The symptoms of depression affect your actions, reactions, and feelings on a day-to-day basis, and it comes at the most unexpected times.

Depression is not uncommon after addiction treatment because an individual goes through a lot of change at once. However, when diagnosing depression, the symptoms usually need to reoccur on a consistent basis. If you feel sad and have not been happy for some time, it is always good to bring it up to your doctor or counselor, as they can help you with the right resources to help you cope. If you are nervous about talking with a counselor, a good first step is to take an online depression screening.

Questions About Depression

During your conversation with your doctor or counselor, you're going to be asked many questions so they can diagnosis you correctly. If you've already gone through an evaluation for depression, you understand that there is a series of triggers that can co-occur with depression. The intensity of symptoms can vary. There is a rating scale for depression. Some of the factors that point to depression are mood swings and changes in behavior. The doctor or counselor will question you on your experiences to diagnose you correctly.

What Comes After Diagnosis?

Many people ask, once diagnosed with depression on the recovery journey, how do you handle it?

If you have been diagnosed with depression, your doctor or counselor will initiate a treatment plan to help reduce the episodes and help you function better in daily life. They will address the levels of symptoms you're having, any co-occurring disorders, provide additional mental health treatment, and discuss any previous experiences with treatment for depression that you've had. All of these topics affect how your doctor will help you deal with depression. They can help you deal with depression while in addiction recovery.

Treating Depression

Some ways to treat depression are therapeutic meditation, talk therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, psychotherapy, art therapy, and much more. Some individuals who feel sadness or experience similar symptoms of depression after treatment find communities and resources to help them get through the day-to-day emotional swings they may experience.

Communities and small alumni groups are great to help you get your depression under control and stick with the treatment plan your counselor or doctor put you on. There might be changes to your treatment plan after a few months of you undergoing it, but it's going to develop with you as you learn how to cope with depression on a more natural level.

It is important to understand that depression can increase the risk of relapse during recovery. The counselors and doctors will work with you to build up your quality of life and avoid relapse. They want you to find the right coping mechanisms and resources in case a depressive symptom arises or your functional status decreases.

The treatment plan your doctor or counselor gives to you is based on your previous experience and previous treatment plans, and they will continue to monitor you and help you find the right means to deal with depression after you undergo addiction treatment. Both you and your doctor will work together to implement a treatment plan for your depression to get you back into life. You deserve to feel happy and healthy.

At NorthStar Transitions, we help our clients handle depression and other mental health disorders through dual-diagnosis treatment plans. If you've been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, or you think you may help, our clinicians are here to help you. If you have already been through treatment, you know that we are here to help you any time that you need it. Clinically diagnosed depression can be difficult to treat. Finding a counselor or other medical professional who can help you professionally diagnose your depression or mental health concern is critical. These professionals can give you a better means of access to deal, even after addiction treatment. Reach out to NorthStar Transitions today to find a more stable environment and get the tools and resources you need to help you continue your life, even when you are diagnosed with depression after treatment. Call us for more information or help today at (303) 588-6400.

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