Where to begin?

Depression, anxiety, fear and loneliness commonly happen together. If you are living with a life-threatening or chronic illness, you know how connected these things are. There are many things you can do yourself to help. And, there are times when you should seek support beyond family and friends. Consider talking to your healthcare provider or getting a referral to a mental healthcare provider if you notice:

• The feelings continue to drag you down more than half of the days.
• You've lost pleasure in the things you used to enjoy. 
• You are having difficulty sleeping or find yourself sleeping too much. 
• You are jittery and moving too fast. Or if you are moving and talking too slow. 
• Your eating has changed and caused weight gain or weight loss.
• You are having a hard time concentrating or thinking or speaking clearly. 
• The feelings are so heavy that you feel you would be better off dead or are thinking of hurting yourself. 

You may need help beyond what you can do for yourself. Sometimes the chemical imbalance in the brain is so great that medications are needed. Medication can start helping in as little as a few weeks. Many people only need to take medications for their mental health for a few months to get them through a tough time.