Identifying and Managing Depression: Signs, Symptoms, and Effective Treatments

Depression doesn’t look the same for everyone. In this episode of Giving Voice to Depression, Liz shares her personal journey through two very different forms of depression — one triggered by grief and trauma, and another caused by chemical imbalance.

Her story sheds light on the spectrum of depression, from episodes that eventually lift to treatment-resistant forms that require long-term strategies. Liz describes what worked for her, including therapy, medication, and self-care tools like music, meditation, and time in nature.

She also explains how support from others helped her identify her depression when she couldn’t see it herself, and how she now pays it forward by encouraging others to seek help and break free from stigma.

Links to "Signs of Depressions" resources:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9290-depression
https://mhanational.org/conditions/depression

Primary Topics Covered:

• The two “types” of depression Liz experienced
• How grief-related depression differs from chemical imbalance
• The role of medication and therapy in recovery
• The importance of persistence when treatments don’t work right away
• Self-care tools that support healing (music, meditation, nature, acupuncture)
• Why support systems and being “present” matter so much
• How to help a friend or loved one who may be struggling
• Breaking the silence and stigma around depression

Timestamps:
 00:00 – Introduction from Bridget and Terry
 00:47 – Introducing Liz and her story
 02:03 – Liz explains the two different forms of depression she’s faced
 02:55 – Grief- and trauma-related depression that eventually lifted
 02:58 – Depression caused by chemical imbalance and why it felt different
 03:13 – Therapy and medication: finding what works
 03:46 – The role of persistence and hard work in recovery
 04:10 – How someone else first recognized Liz’s depression
 04:25 – Helping a friend accept and seek treatment
 05:21 – Self-care practices that support Liz’s healing
 05:41 – The importance of being present and listening
 06:26 – How support can look in simple, everyday ways
 07:08 – Breaking the silence and talking openly about depression
 07:38 – Final reflections on support and reducing stigma
 11:03 – Closing thoughts and outro

Explore mental health and addiction treatment options at recovery.com
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