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Depression
DO NOT WORRY IT IS WORKABLE
Depression: is the main cause of disability worldwide. Depression may impact any phase of the human life cycle in adults, adolescents, and children. Depression is a mood disorder that involves a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It is different from the mood fluctuations that people regularly experience as a part of life. Depression is a "whole-body" illness, involving your body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way you eat and sleep, the way you feel about yourself, and the way you think about things. Depression is an state of mind. It consists of episodes during which the symptoms last for at least 2 weeks. Depression can last for several weeks, months, or years.
Signs and Symptoms of DEPRESSION
1. Persistent low mood and feeling lethargic
2. Reduced interest in pleasurable activities one enjoyed in past
3. Loss of sexual desire
4. Changes in appetite usually lack of appetite and lack of interest in food
5. Unintentional weight loss or gain
6. Sleeping too much or too little
7. Agitation, restlessness, pacing up and down
8. Slow movement and less interest in speaking and interpersonal & social communication
9. Consistent fatigue or loss of energy
10. Feelings worthlessness or guilt
11. Difficulty in thinking, concentrating, making decisions
12. Recurrent thoughts of death and suicide
Types of depression: Low, Mild, Moderate, Severe, Profound
Depression recovery & management: Depression is unlikely to simply go away on its own. In fact, if it is ignored and left untreated, depression can go on for months, sometimes years, and can have many negative effects on a person’s life. Every person needs to find the treatment that’s right for them. It can take time and patience to find a treatment that works. Different types of depression require different treatment. Mild symptoms may be relieved by lifestyle changes and psychotherapy. For moderate to more severe depression, medication is likely to be required, in combination with these other treatments.
Psychotherapy Process: Psychotherapy is an effective way to treat depression. There are several different psychotherapies for depression which are provided to individuals or groups by psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical psychologists or counselors.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) : It helps to identify and change unhelpful thoughts and behavior. It also helps one to change their thinking patterns and improve coping skills so one is better equipped to deal with life's stresses and conflicts. CBT is based on the premise that patients with depression have thinking that is characterized by dysfunctional negative views of oneself, one’s life experiences (and world in general) and one’s future – the cognitive triad.
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Behavior Therapy (Behavioral Activation) : Its goal is to increase access to pleasant events and rewards and decrease their experience of negative aversive events. It is done by daily monitoring of pleasant/unpleasant events, scheduling activities that can improve mood, time management training, and identification of behavioral goals that can be targeted. It is based on a behavioral model which conceptualized depression because of lack of positive reinforcement.
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) : It draws from CBT and traditional mindfulness practices. It encourages individuals to become more aware of their internal thoughts feeling and bodily sensations and to change the ways in which they relate to these thoughts. It helps people to disengage from their ruminative thoughts to promote detachment and decentering from depression related thoughts and feelings
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) : ACT is a form of CBT which is focused on one being more accepting of irrational and negative thoughts. It helps increase awareness and develop an attitude of acceptance and compassion in the presence of painful thoughts and feelings. It helps one discover their true values and purpose. It is about letting go of the struggle with difficult thoughts, in order to pursue a richer and more meaningful life.
Social Skills Training : It helps to build an individual’s ability to socialise and communicate effectively. It works on building skills such as assertion, conversational interaction skills, dating, job interview skills, understanding body language, being able to express and respond, etc.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) : It focuses on the social and interpersonal triggers that may cause depression. The focus is on relationships with others. It is used to help a person develop or improve interpersonal skills in order to allow him or her to communicate more effectively and reduce stress. It aims at reducing or eliminating depressive symptoms by improving the quality of the patient’s current interpersonal relations and social functioning. For example; difficult life transitions like retirement, divorce, or moving to another city or interpersonal disputes that emerge from conflicting expectations between, family members, close friends, or coworkers.
Psychodynamic Therapy : It emphasizes the resolution of unconscious mental conflicts and unresolved feelings. The focus is on recognizing patterns of behaviors and feelings that stem from past experiences, so the client can become more aware of how his unconscious mind is affecting his or her present life. The goal is to foster internal resources needed to deal with and effectively managing defense mechanisms and unconscious thoughts and feelings.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES:
Exercise : Regular exercise can be as effective at treating depression as medication. Not only does exercise boost serotonin, endorphins, and other feel-good brain chemicals, it triggers the growth of new brain cells and connections, just like antidepressants do. It also increases the oxygen levels flowing through your body. Even a half-hour daily walk can make a big difference. For maximum results, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most days.
Sleep : Depression can make it hard to get enough sleep, and too little sleep can make depression worse. Good sleep hygiene is important to manage depression. What can you do? Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Try not to nap. Take all the distractions out of your bedroom -- no computer and no TV. Avoid drinking caffeine after 4 pm and try not to drink more than two cups of caffeine-type drinks (such as coffee, strong tea, cola, or energy drinks) each day.
Diet and Nutrition: Eating well is important for both your physical and mental health. Eating small, well-balanced meals throughout the day will help you keep your energy up and minimize mood swings. While you may be drawn to sugary foods for the quick boost they provide, complex carbohydrates are a better choice. They’ll get you going without the all-too-soon sugar crash. There is also evidence that foods with omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon and tuna) and folic acid (such as spinach and avocado) could help ease depression.
Meditation and Relaxation: Meditation practises can help by changing how the brain responds to stress and anxiety. It helps to change one’s response to negative thinking and manage depression more effectively. As well as helping to relieve symptoms of depression, relaxation techniques may also reduce stress and boost feelings of joy and well-being. Yoga, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation is helpful to alleviate the symptoms of depression.
Do Old and New Activities: When you are depressed, you may not enjoy activities that you once loved. If you don’t try activities, you reduce the number of things that may help you cope with your depression. To increase the amount of activities you enjoy, you can list activities you used to enjoy, plan one of these activities each day, and increase the amount of time available for activities you enjoy. If you keep going, it will help you get better. You will enjoy activities more as you recover. Try something new every day, it can help you discover things you did not like before and learn new things.
Challenge Negative Thoughts: Worrying or thinking negatively is common in people with depression. In your fight against depression, a lot of the work is mental – challenging how you think. Try not to focus on the things you cannot change. Write down what you are worried about. Go through each concern and think about how realistic your negative thoughts are. Explore alternative thoughts and explanations. Focus on the present. Accept your thoughts without actively engaging with them.
Social Support: Strong social networks reduce isolation, a key risk factor for depression. Keep in regular contact with friends and family or consider joining a class or group. Volunteering is a wonderful way to get social support and help others while also helping you.
Quit Smoking and othe addiction: Quitting smoking cigarettes is associated with reduced depression and anxiety, with the effect "equal or larger than" those of antidepressant treatment.
Get in a Routine: Depression can strip away the structure from your life. One day melts into the next. Setting a gentle daily schedule can help you get back on track.
Set Goals: When you're depressed, you may feel like you can't accomplish anything. That makes you feel worse about yourself. To push back, set daily goals for yourself. Start very small; make your goal something that you can succeed at, like doing the dishes every other day. As you start to feel better, you can add more challenging daily goals.
