How do I know if my depression is better?
Some days you'll feel better. Some days you'll feel worse. It can take a long time to recover from depression.
When you started treatment for your depression, you and your healthcare providers should have set goals. One way to know that you are getting better is to review these goals and check them off as you achieve them.
Below are the overall goals for treating depression. If you are not achieving them, talk with your doctor about making changes in your treatment plan. If you are reaching those goals, you are getting better.
Your treatment is working if it:
- reduces or eliminates symptoms
- stops symptoms from getting in the way of normal activities
- keeps symptoms from getting in the way of work or school
- prevents episodes of depression from recurring
- has as few side effects from medicines as possible
- enables you to adopt healthy lifestyle changes to help prevent depression from recurring