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(HealthNewsDigest.com)-While most people recognize her as the cheerful designer on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition™, Paige Hemmis is also one of the estimated 33 to 35 million U.S. adults who have experienced depression at some point during their lifetimes.
Hemmis speaks about her experiences with depression as part of the Blueprint for Hope campaign to inspire others with depression to seek help and find a treatment plan that is right for them-as she did. “On the show, we use blueprints to design each home, and managing our lives is no different,” explains Hemmis. “Having a blueprint to manage your condition can help create a plan and establish goals for your journey to better health.”
For Hemmis, depression was characterized by sadness, exhaustion, sleeplessness, guilt, loneliness, and withdrawal from her favorite activities. She believes that if she had been aware of depression resources such as Blueprint for Hope during the height of her struggle with depression, she might have felt empowered to seek help sooner.
Hemmis worked closely with her doctor to find a treatment plan that she could stick with. Today, she is back to feeling like herself. “With the right plan and a strong support network, it’s possible to feel like yourself again, be there for your family, and do the things you love,” Hemmis reveals.
As depression can be difficult to treat, it’s important to have a variety of tools and a solid treatment plan. Here are tips to consider.
Create a “Blueprint”
Elements of a depression treatment plan, or “blueprint,” may include:
• Educating yourself about depression
• Developing a productive relationship with your doctor
• Working with your doctor to find the right treatment plan
Seek Support
A strong support network is important for helping you stay on therapy and live successfully with depression by helping you to:
• Remember you aren’t alone
• Feel empowered to seek support from your physician, family, and community
Get Involved
Staying involved in favorite activities can help you to:
• Spend time with others
• Be there for your family and friends
• Start feeling like yourself again
The Blueprint for Hope campaign, presented by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, aims to inspire people to speak with a health care professional about their depression symptoms and raise awareness of the importance of working with a health care professional to build a blueprint for managing the illness. Campaign partners include Paige Hemmis; the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, a mental health advocacy organization; and physicians. Additional resources, including depression information and a symptom progress tracker, as well as do-it-yourself videos and tips, are available at BlueprintforHope.com.
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