The inability to make decisions or concentrate . Suicidal thoughts and ruminating on death. It is simple enough to look at the criteria and identify there is a problem. But dealing with the illness beyond that is a difficult process. Many individuals have difficulty accepting depression as an illness, and the thought of taking medication for a lifetime is offensive.
Talk therapy is extremely expensive and the disparity among practitioners can be mind-boggling.
What is the difference between a licensed professional counselor, a social worker, a psychologist, and a psychiatrist. Are there options outside of traditional treatments. Actually the prospect of getting treatment can be overwhelming, and to someone who is depressed this often results in paralysis of action. The outcome is more depression. The first step to dealing with depression is to assess for yourself where you are in the disease.