Things to do when you are depressed


SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA

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  • SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

    Also visit the online treatment locator.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.

The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.

English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.

In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.

No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.

  • Suggested Resources

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    It's Not Your Fault (NACoA) (PDF | 12 KB)
    Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, "It's not your fault!" and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.

    After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Your Family Member After Treatment in the Emergency Department
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    Family Therapy Can Help: For People in Recovery From Mental Illness or Addiction
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    For additional resources, please visit the SAMHSA Store.

Last Updated: 08/30/2022

SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator

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Welcome to the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator, a confidential and anonymous source of information for persons seeking treatment facilities in the United States or U.S. Territories for substance use/addiction and/or mental health problems.

PLEASE NOTE: Your personal information and the search criteria you enter into the Locator is secure and anonymous. SAMHSA does not collect or maintain any information you provide.

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    Millions of Americans have a substance use disorder. Find a treatment facility near you.

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    Call or text 988

    Free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7.

  • National Helpline

    1-800-662-HELP (4357)

    Treatment referral and information, 24/7.

  • Disaster Distress Helpline

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    Immediate crisis counseling related to disasters, 24/7.

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  • Icon from Find practitioners and treatment programs providing buprenorphine for opioid addiction (heroin or pain relievers). Find practitioners and treatment programs providing buprenorphine for opioid addiction (heroin or pain relievers).
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The Locator is authorized by the 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255, Section 9006; 42 U.S.C. 290bb-36d). SAMHSA endeavors to keep the Locator current. All information in the Locator is updated annually from facility responses to SAMHSA’s National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS). New facilities that have completed an abbreviated survey and met all the qualifications are added monthly. Updates to facility names, addresses, telephone numbers, and services are made weekly for facilities informing SAMHSA of changes. Facilities may request additions or changes to their information by sending an e-mail to [email protected], by calling the BHSIS Project Office at 1-833-888-1553 (Mon-Fri 8-6 ET), or by electronic form submission using the Locator online application form (intended for additions of new facilities).

What to do if you suspect that you have depression [infographic] - FONAR.TV

Most people have periods when they feel overwhelmed and unwilling to do anything. But if you stay in this state for months or even years, then you may have depression. People who have experienced adversity are also at risk of depression. "+1 City" prepared an infographic specially for the "Useful City" project on what to do if you suspect that you have depression.

Depression is a mental disorder that can lead to serious health problems. According to the World Health Organization, more than 264 million people worldwide suffer from depression.

What are the symptoms of depression?


The UK National Health Service identifies the following symptoms of depression:

  1. Psychological: long-lasting depressed mood, melancholy, feelings of helplessness, low self-esteem, tearfulness, guilt, irritability and intolerance towards other people, lack of interest in life, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
  2. Physical : motor and ideational retardation, constipation, pain of unknown origin, loss of sexual desire, loss of strength, sleep and menstrual disorders.
  3. Social: unwillingness to communicate with people, neglect of once beloved hobbies and hobbies, isolation.


How to fight?

Today there are effective treatments for depression. But depression develops gradually, so people do not always notice its symptoms and do not seek help from specialists. Another reason is the fear of public condemnation. But depression does not go away on its own, it needs to be fought with the help of professionals.

Depression comes in different forms: mild, moderate or severe. And if in the first and second cases the quality of life of a person decreases, then psychotic manifestations, including hallucinations and delusions, can be observed in a severe form. There are several types of depression: postpartum depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder.

If you experience one or more of the above symptoms for a long time, be sure to consult a specialist. It is especially important to see a doctor if your mood is affecting your work, personal life, hobbies, or if you have thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Try to answer the doctor's questions as openly and honestly as possible. Depending on the type of disease, you will choose the appropriate method of treatment.

If you are diagnosed with a mild form of depression, you will most likely be asked to take care of yourself: get enough sleep, exercise, pay attention to your desires, focus on positive thoughts. Of course, it is not easy for a person in a depressed mood to find strength in himself, but in the fight against an illness, it is important to be active. If these methods do not help or if you have a more severe form of depression, you will be advised to seek the help of a psychologist, such as cognitive behavioral or interpersonal therapy. In more complex cases, along with psychotherapy, special drugs are used - antidepressants. In addition, you may be prescribed treatment in a psychiatric clinic.

Igor Rezanov

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#Useful city #infographic

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If you're depressed: a therapist's step-by-step guide

Many people who suffer from depression don't understand what's really happening to them. Even if they understand, they do not know how to cope with this disease. The first thing to do is figure out if you really have depression. Our article on the main symptoms of depression will help with this.

If you have found at least two of the five symptoms, then you should go to the next step. Namely, take the advice of Jennifer Rollin, a psychotherapist and specialist in working with anxiety and depressive disorders.

1. Get help

Depression is a serious mental disorder. Fortunately, it responds well to treatment. If you notice symptoms of depression, it is important to seek professional help from a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.

Asking for help, you show not weakness, but, on the contrary, real strength. If depression is telling you that you are unworthy of help, please don't listen to it! Depression, like a cruel spouse, does not want to let you go. Remember that everyone suffering from this disorder deserves help and support. You do not have to remain in a state of hopelessness and loneliness.

2. Become aware of what your mind is trying to tell you

Every day, thousands of thoughts come into our heads. Not all of them are true. If you are suffering from depression, it is very likely that your thoughts will become more and more pessimistic.

First of all, you need to realize what exactly you inspire yourself. Having identified negative thoughts, find that healthy part of your own "I" that can resist them. Use it to try to inspire yourself with ideas that will help you in the fight against depression.

3. Do the opposite

There is a concept in dialectical behavior therapy that I really like. It's called reverse action. People suffering from depression often have a desire not to communicate with anyone, not to get out of bed and to avoid certain situations. In this case, you need to force yourself to "act in reverse":

  • If you want to avoid any communication, call friends or relatives and arrange a meeting.
  • If you just want to lie in bed and not get up, think about what kind of active activity you could do.

It is important to force ourselves to socialize and get out of the house so that we are more likely to cheer ourselves up.

4. Show compassion for yourself

Berating yourself for being depressed only makes it worse. Always remember that depression is not your fault. This is a mental disorder, you did not choose it for yourself. No one voluntarily agrees to isolation from friends and loved ones, to a feeling of emptiness and hopelessness, to weakness and apathy, because of which it is difficult to get out of bed or leave the house.

This is why you need to be kind to yourself and remember that you are not the only person suffering from depression. Think about ways you can take care of yourself. Treat yourself with empathy, just as you would treat a close friend who is in a difficult situation.

It may be hard to believe now that the voice of depression is so loud, but I want you to know that you will get better. Please ask for help. No one deserves to suffer from depression alone.


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