Depression is a disease that affects an increasing number of people nowadays. According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Depression can affect any person regardless of age, gender, culture or socio-economic status. In the most severe cases, it ends in suicide.
If you're depressed yourself, it may seem like you'll never get out of the dark thoughts you've fallen into. However, even for the most severe forms of depression, there is help. Just don't hesitate to look for it.
No depression is the same
Psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and encouraging and developing healthier habits and lifestyle are forms of help that can encourage hope and increase life satisfaction, he writes. Doctor's office.
Since no human being is the same, no depression is the same, therefore there is no one solution or one form of treatment that will suit everyone. The best way to help yourself is to learn as much as you can about your illness, try different forms of help and decide on the one that best suits your personality and respects your values and interests.
Psychotherapy
Talk therapy is a very effective aid in the treatment of depression. It is particularly successful in mild and moderately intense symptoms. There are different therapeutic approaches, some of them are behavioral cognitive therapy, interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic approach, etc...
A therapeutic conversation can help you find the causes of your sadness, it can help you understand why you feel a certain way and how it affects your behavior, it can help you understand the triggers of your depression. Therapy also helps to change your negative patterns that affect your attitudes, experiences and behavior.
It is very important to find a therapist that suits you and with whom you can establish a warm and supportive relationship. You should not hesitate if you need to talk to several experts until you find the one that suits you.
Expressing one's own negative thoughts and feelings in therapy meetings can sometimes be painful. Some of these feelings you may not want to face yourself. However, keep in mind that all those difficult and painful moments bring something good in the end. So don't give up on therapy. Perseverance in such situations will help you change old behavior patterns and finally move forward.
Drug treatment
Research shows the effectiveness of treating depression with psychotherapy as well as medication in a large number of patients. However, the long-term effects of treatment are more in favor of psychotherapy, especially if it is a cognitive-behavioral method, since with this method patients learn skills that will help them if the symptoms of depression return.
Medicines relieve some of the symptoms of depression and therefore should not be avoided. Drug treatment is necessary for chronic and severe forms of depression. Such forms of depression will be most adequately treated with a combination of drugs and psychotherapy. In the case of mild and moderate symptoms, only one form of treatment will usually help.
However, it should be kept in mind that the drugs alleviate the symptoms but do not affect the actual causes of the disease. That is why it is advisable to hire psychotherapeutic help.
Changes in lifestyle
Developing healthier lifestyle habits can contribute to success in the fight against depression.
Training is very effective in the fight against depression. It stimulates the secretion of serotonin, endorphins and other chemicals in the brain that help us feel better. Of course, you don't need to run a marathon, about half an hour of walking a day is enough.
Social support - contacts with others, maintaining friendships and good family relationships reduce isolation and feelings of loneliness. This feeling is one of the most important risk factors for the development of depression. Getting involved in humanitarian work is an excellent opportunity to make contact with others and to help others while helping yourself at the same time.
A healthy diet is very important for physical and mental health. Eating more smaller meals will keep your energy levels constant and reduce mood swings.
Sleep also has a significant effect on mood. If you don't get enough sleep, your depressive symptoms get worse. Lack of sleep promotes irritability, mood swings, sadness and fatigue. Aim to sleep between seven and nine hours each night.
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