Depression Treatment.
Depression is more than just a feeling of being “down in the dumps” or “blue” for a few days. If you are one of those people who have depression, the feelings do not go away. Depression can occur for what seems like no reason at all or can be caused by a traumatizing life event within a person’s life. The cause of depression still remains a mystery among the medicinal world, however, many experts say genes may have an effect of depression within a family and a lack of the chemical serotonin in the brain may be linked to depression.
This illness can be described as feeling blue, unhappy, sad or miserable. Sometimes this is because of a loss, or a change. The feeling of sadness, though, is appropriate and transitory. When such feelings persist and impair daily life, they may signal an underlying depressive illness. So it is the severity and duration of symptoms, plus the presence of other features, that help distinguish this normal sadness from a depressive disorder. Depression is more than just a mood disorder; it is a real illness that not only affects one’s life activities.
Common symptoms may include:
– Feeling unhappy for no reason
– Irritability or frustration, even over small matters
– Lack pleasure in normal activities
– Reduced sex drive
– Changes in appetite
– Lack of sleep
– Agitation or restlessness
– Irritability or angry outbursts
– Slowed thinking, body movements and speaking
– Indecisiveness, distractibility
– Fatigue
– Feelings guilt or worthless, blaming yourself or trying to fix past failures
– Trouble thinking, concentrating and remembering things
– Thinking of death, dying or suicide
– Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
Depression affects every person in a different manner so the symptoms may vary from one person to another. Inherited traits, age, gender, and family background play a major role in how depression may affect.
Symptoms in children may include:
– Sadness, irritability, hopelessness, and worry
– Anxiety, anger, and avoidance of social interaction
– Changes in thinking and sleep
– ADHD
Symptoms in older adults
– Fatigues, loss of appetite, sleep problems.
– They may feel dissatisfied with life in general, bored, helpless or worthless.
– Suicidal thinking or feelings
Diagnosis of depression.
If any person shows any symptom of having depression, they need to seek professional advice as soon as possible.
It can only be detected with the presence of symptoms such as irritation, sleeping and eating disorders, consistent pain in the body and even hallucinations. The level of depression a person is suffering from can be detected with the help of general questions regarding the mental health of the person. A good diagnosis of depression should also include the questions regarding the history of those who are depressed. The doctor should also acquire knowledge about the loss of some dear ones of the people, loss of job or intake of any drugs. The following category of persons generally needs depression treatment:
People with personal or family history of depression.
People suffering from a lot of diseases.
People suffering from symptoms having no clear medical cause.
People who visit their doctors in quick successions.
Types of depression:
Mild: The specified is mild if the person shows some symptoms of depression, but he can perform his routine work without any extra effort.
Moderate: The specifier is moderate if the person shows symptoms of depression and needs extra efforts to perform his routine work.
Severe: The specifier is severe if the person shows most of the depression signs. The person may not be able to perform his routine work and may also be affected with hallucination and can also attempt to suicide.
Depression affects people in different ways frequently due to the harshness and the individuals themselves but also due to the lesser known variations of this disease such as Manic or Bipolar. These are characterized by quick and severe changes in one’s mood wherein one moment he or she is in an elevated state of euphoria while the next minute (day or week) he or she is feeling like they are in their own personal hell.
Seasonal Affective Disorder has characterized the changes in moods according to the season. Studies have shown it’s not uncommon for people to feel more down during the winter and fall seasons. This type of disorder also has frequent mood swings going from happy to sad in a relatively short period of time.
Clinical depression is one of those terms frequently kicked around which has generated a needless amount of negative stigma attached to the name. By definition it is plainly put when a doctor can see the symptoms and that there is a problem and diagnoses it. While for many this recognition may seem like an unpleasant thing, many doctors remain highly positive as with the earlier the treatment the chances of a complete recovery are dramatically increased. Patients who have been actively searching for treatments for Clinical depression have proven to be rather successful in their quest. Statistics show that eighty percent of those have found release from this disorder.
Treatment of depression
There are many different treatments for Depression and they fall into various categories. Some of the treatments and the categories will be briefly discussed. These different treatments are used for the various types of Depression that exist and the depths of the Depression. Below are different treatments for depression.
Lifestyle changes
Most people with depression tend to back off from working out or even taking part in normal activities. It can be hard to try to turn your own life around when you are depressed, but by taking part in even a normal amount of exercise, you will begin to feel much better, and there are plenty of studies that this is true.
Psychological
Psychotherapy is an often used tool in depression treatment. It can be effective in treating most levels of Depression. It is also called talk therapy. There are a number of approaches that fall under Psychotherapy and ultimately the patient examines their lives even going back to their childhoods, to see if there are any unresolved issues due to trauma or relationships. It is often used in conjunction with other therapies.
Talk therapy.
This used to be a weekly visit to a psychiatrist, psychologist, or some type of therapist but is now done in a variety of formats with different types of social workers. Talk therapy often is not the only answer. It is applied together with other treatments for clinical depression for the best results.
Self-help Treatments
These treatments are done by you at your discretion. There are a number of things you can do to help make yourself feel better. One of these treatments is called Bibliotherapy. It is the reading of books, magazines, and journals to find out about your Depression and ways to treat it. You then take some of those suggestions and practice them on your own.
Surviving Depression
Before depressed individuals are able to help themselves it’s important to address motivational apathy. When we have apathy and depression we will say “yes-but” to any positive suggestion given to us. If you don’t think you’ll feel better you won’t want to do X because you don’t feel up to it. If you feel better you may want to do X.
Behaviour, Emotion, and thinking are part of the BET behaviour which represents a triangle of the inner relationships among these three mental experiences. Depression often involves the three BET behaviours which include inactivity and behaviours of social withdrawal; hopelessness and emotions of sadness; pessimism and thoughts of complete hopelessness. Each of these behaviours reinforces each other. We often make the assumption that we need to feel different before things can happen. If we move to change them the other behaviours will predictably follow.
We can’t change our emotions but we can try to change our thinking. This is difficult and it requires effort on a consistent basis and our motivation is usually absent when depressed. While we may not feel like doing X because we feel it will do nothing, we still have an ability to do X anyway. We can do the motions despite how we feel. The following is what to put into consideration in order survive a depression.
Sleep: Depression can interrupt our sleep. We should resume a normal sleep pattern, get adequate sleep, and set a schedule. If you got problems with falling asleep, staying asleep or walking, we have to learn the habit to sleep in order to us keep our sleep schedule. We shouldn’t go to sleep and just get up when we feel like it.
Proper Diet: When you’re depressed keeping a proper diet and having regular meals is difficult. Lack of appetite leads to low energy and motivation from a reduction in caloric intake. Apathy, lack of motivation and your pessimism lead to poor food selections. This poor nutrition can increase the symptoms of depression.
Accept the situation: If you’re like most people, you really don’t want to accept the situation. After all, this experience feels so terrible you don’t want to accept it. You want to fight it. You want to push against it. Struggling against depression is an automatic and immediate reaction, however, a reaction that only makes you sink deeper. There is a way out, and that way begins with acceptance. Acceptance brings you to a place of stillness to assess the situation from a non-reactionary perspective.
Prioritise your obligations: There are a lot of obligations in our day-to-day lives, but during the depression, some of those less than critical obligations need to be set on the back burner. Of course, you want to do it all, to live your “normal” life, but acceptance helps you recognize that this is not your “normal” life. You are in a depression process. Carrying too many obligatory “should do’s” will weigh you down and pull you under. So lighten up your load by eliminating all those less than top priority essential actions. Even though you are depressed, you still possess the ability to discern which of your life activities must be sustained, which activities might even be helpful to continue, and which activities must be set aside.
Breathe deeply: Depression easily keeps your body, mind, and spirit in the quicksand grip of worry, anxiety, fear, and overactive thinking. Learning to manage your breathing is a core skill necessary to lower the stress and calm down. Deep conscious breathing gets you centered and help you get out of your own way. Breathing is the lubricant that disentangles fear, lifts out heaviness, and brings in hope. With some of that heaviness dispersed, you feel a little lighter, a little more energized, and a little more capable to get through the day.
Self-Talk that Work: Stand before a mirror and talk to your body, your mind, and your spirit. Acknowledge the difficulty of your situation, and thank your body, mind, and spirit for doing their best to help you get through this.
Your body, although it feels terrible, is not the cause of your depression; it’s the part of you that carries the physical effects of the depression process. Your body must deal with the stress and overwhelm of depression, lethargy, emotional effects, and aches and pains. Let your body know that you appreciate the hard work it’s doing in helping you move through this experience.
Also, talk to your logical mind with compassion. Your mind is most likely overtaxed and overwhelmed trying to figure out a solution to end the depression. Since depression is a process, there aren’t any mental solutions that your mind can produce to suddenly end this experience. In the mirror, tell your mind that you appreciate all the logical efforts and intellectual attempts at solutions. Let your mind know that it hasn’t failed you, but instead, there are no mental solutions that will end the depression.
Lastly, speak with your spirit. You will know instinctively what to say. Offer your spirit gratitude, a plea for help, or even offer your anger. Communication with all parts of you will keep the depression process moving forward.
Healing Spirit of Nature: Take one walk a day, in a park or natural setting. While you are outside, notice anything that strikes you as colorful, interesting, or pleasing to your senses. Feel the wind on your skin, notice the temperature of the day, smell the flowers, feel the grass beneath your feet, listen to the leaves rustling in the trees, or sit by a creek and watch the water flowing by. Because you are depressed, you may not be able to experience happiness as you once did (and will again), but nature opens your senses and gently heals your wounds. When you don’t know of anything else to do to get yourself through the day, take yourself outside.
Depression interferes with life and routines and disrupts emotions. If you are having a difficult day look both within and without to help you survive. Ask for support. Reach out and be honest. You might be surprised at how many people have been where you are right now. Also reach within and notice the best ways to take care of yourself.
Hoxton Therapy notice: Never act on any advice given in these articles or videos. Always seek professional help from us before acting on anything you read or watch on this website.