Where to find help for depression.

by Bridget Wermer

Depression is a reality. Every year more than 15 million people in the United States are affected by the illness and contrary to general belief, it is not a result of having a weak mind—anyone can fall victim to depression. I remember when I first realized I was depressed—I was sad, lonely, and overwhelmed, but had no clue what to do or where to turn for help. Googling things like “help me,” “help centers,” and “depression help,” proved unfruitful. Then I moved to Bozeman.  Suddenly I found several resources to choose from, each with their own specialties and areas of expertise—no one has to feel alone and without help in this town. Here’s a local roundup of some help centers in the area that will fit just about anyone’s needs.

Montana State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) is located right on campus, providing counseling to both students and faculty. This confidential, comfortable, and safe establishment helps over 1,500 individuals annually and serves a variety of problems including family struggles, school stress, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, grief, and trauma. CPS also offers a broad range of group classes to help those who would rather find support from their peers. Oh, and did I mention that CPS is free?

Located on the south side of campus, Psychiatry Associates (PA) offers advanced treatment and therapy including psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and psychotherapy. PA treats emotional and behavioral disorders by focusing on prevention, early detection, and support. Their trained psychiatrists provide each patient with the best treatment option—no case has the same treatment process here. I personally worked with PA and found them to be extremely attentive to the unique characteristics in my case; I would recommend them to just about anyone.

The Hope House (HH) treats extreme cases, providing 24-hour monitoring for people over 18 with critical mental illness. HH maintains a safe, therapeutic environment where patients can feel protected and cared for. They even have an onsite nurse who administers medications and provides medical attention when needed. Although HH offers individual, group, and family therapy,  they specialize in emergency situations—when it feels like you can’t get through the day without harming yourself or others, please search for help here.

Remember, depression is normal—it happens to 1 in 10 people. If you’re feeling depressed, get help right away. It will save you a lot of pain and suffering and with all the options in Bozeman, there’s no reason not to.

In the event of an emergency, call CPS at 994-4531 (during office hours),  campus police at 994-2121,  the Bozeman Help Center at 586-3333, or 911.