If you're facing moderate to severe depression, you may already be taking medications such as sertraline, but don't feel as effective as you once did. At first, the medication may have made your mood and sleep better, but now it doesn't seem to be working, leaving you in a funk: light sleep, waking up easily, frequent panic attacks, and even chest tightness after activity, and you don't know what to do to stay on top of your treatment.
Hey, buddy! I'm here to talk to you as a listener.
It is really confusing and helpless when you say that you have started the medication and it worked well initially, with improved mood and sleep, but now you feel that the medication is not working.
Studies have shown that for moderate depression, cognitive behavioral therapy can achieve similar efficacy to antidepressants.
Treatment for depression takes time and is not an immediate solution, never stop taking your medication on your own, always follow your doctor's instructions.
So, a combination of psychotherapy and medication interventions can often be more effective in supporting you out of a slump.
Insomnia is a common affliction of depression; some people have trouble falling asleep, others wake up too early, and in general, they just don't sleep well. How to improve sleep?
-Regularize your routine and try to go to bed and get up at a regular time every day.
--Remember that beds are for sleeping only, don't read, play on your cell phone or watch TV in bed.
--Release your emotions before going to bed and calm down when you are excited or low before going to bed.
-If you can't sleep, don't lie down, get up and deal with the things that are bothering you, such as challenging irrational thoughts. Don't force yourself to sleep, the more anxious you are the less you will sleep, relaxation helps instead.
Try these methods on the road to recovery:
--Talk to your family and friends more often, it's important to have someone to be there when you're feeling down.
--Keep a regular routine, exercise moderately, and eat a balanced diet.
--Take time to get in touch with nature, get away from the hustle and bustle, and relax.
--When you can, try volunteering to help others and improve yourself.
--Seek professional help when you notice big mood swings.
--Take and review the medication strictly according to the doctor's instructions, and do not adjust the dosage arbitrarily.
Hang in there and trust your doctor and yourself to get better slowly!
Finally, two good practical books are recommended:
[By Robert L. Leahy (USA) Translated by Zhang Miao. Overcome depression before it defeats you[M]. People's Posts and Telecommunications Publishing House,2019
[Australia] Graeme Cowan, translated by Ling Chunxiu. I overcame depression: nine true and touching stories of depression patients' self-healing [M]. People's Posts and Telecommunications Publishing House Publishing Time, 2015