Depressed? Prozac can help!

The depression loop is often set in motion by particular events. Sometimes these events are quite sudden and dramatic, such as the loss of a job, the end of a relationship, a move across country, or the loss of a loved one. A great deal of research has shown that these sorts of life events can place you at risk for depression. In other cases, important events are much more subtle, and they unfold over time. For example, you might, over the course of several months or years, begin to work longer and longer hours, while spending less and less time with family and friends. If asked, you probably wouldn’t be able to identify any particular event associated with the beginning of depression. However, over the course of time, your life would have changed. These sorts of changes are no less powerful than sudden dramatic changes when it comes to creating a depression loop.

Ending depression doesn’t always require dealing with a major life change or making major changes in the future. Nonetheless, you should increase your awareness of and make some changes in your situation if certain issues leave you at risk for developing another episode of depression. Issues vary from person to person. For example, you may find that you need to better maintain strong social and emotional ties to important people in your life. Or you may find that keeping to a relatively structured routine is important. You may need to find a job that better matches your abilities and interests, or you may need to resolve long-standing con¬flicts with close friends or family members. By studying your behavior-mood links, experiment¬ing with new behaviors and activities, and learning to approach rather than to avoid problems, you will feel more empowered to address the issues in your life that contribute to depression.