Coping With Depression Successfully

According to WHO data, 5.1% of the population in Italy suffers from depressive disorders. These are important data, which determine social implications of extreme interest. The subject who is faced with depression must not only face the symptoms of this condition, but also the sense of anxiety that this diagnosis can generate.

On the other hand, whether a diagnosis has been received or not, people who experience depressive symptoms may be afraid of their behaviors, perceptions, and reactions. In this article, we discuss some aspects that can be useful for dealing with depression and coming out of it victorious.

Depression is not a disease and it is treatable

To deal with depression, the person needs to want to get out of it. The discipline required in this case is greater than simply taking a drug.

Psychiatric drugs, in some cases, can be extremely useful when combined with psychological therapy, but this is the key. Therapy, if you decide to follow it, can be the most powerful tool to start feeling better and relieve feelings of despair, sadness and apathy. In this sense, therapy is also a message of hope for depressed people, as it works.

There are several psychological currents that propose options that are scientifically proven, experimentally tested and believed to be effective in the treatment of depression. From the behavioral activation proposed by the acceptance and commitment therapy, to Ellis’ emotional rational therapy to the cognitive-behavioral one; in fact, there are many useful tools.

Although it may seem impossible to us, it is important to know that you can get out of the depressive circuit and that there is no need to do it alone: ​​the psychologist knows all the useful tools and it will still be a couple’s job.

Motivation must be sought, it does not come by itself

One of the most prominent symptoms of depression is the abandonment of intrinsically motivated activities. Activities that were once enjoyed are put aside without being replaced, so that the subject gradually loses these sources of positive emotions.

The lack of motivation or desire is a very important factor: it numbs the initiative and puts a strain on the will. The depressed person feels powerless and therefore tries to save as much energy as possible. However, as this is an inheritance of the thought pattern we were brought up with, the truth is that motivation can be generated. The fact that it is not there does not mean that what we do does not have to be done.

If a person has lost the desire to walk their dog every day, it is important to consider that some activities can be carried out “without desire”, precisely in order to generate “desire”. We certainly felt better after that walk; a state of mind that we will transfer to the next activity, which will cost less effort.

Dealing with depression: the mind does not always serve our interests

Depressed people may come to notice how much their thoughts have changed. They become darker, more discouraging or sadder. They can flood the inner dialogue with phrases that hurt a lot.

Without a treatment – for example a work of cognitive restructuring – it is difficult to notice the existence of these thoughts, but above all to defuse them and prove their validity. To do this, therapy is essential and should be started as soon as possible; the depressed person is therefore not expected to do it alone. In fact, it is not necessary.

Until this work is done, it is more important to keep such thoughts at bay. We must not believe everything our mind says, even if it seems correct to us. Thoughts like “nobody cares about me”, “I’m worth nothing”, “I’ll never make it” are irrational thoughts that undermine the self-concept.

Since they are often unavoidable, it is vital to have strategies that allow you to ignore them. In this sense, distraction strategies offer excellent results.

Help without knowing how

One of the most important factors in treating depression is having strong social support. The downside is that depression itself generally weakens social relationships. As a result, many people find themselves facing the deeper stages of depression without adequate support.

On other occasions, it is others who offer themselves as help. They try, but see no reaction in the subject, so they end up letting it go. They no longer find stimuli in the relationship. They feel helpless not knowing how to help, so they withdraw.

That is why it is so important, when you are part of the social circle of a depressed person, to stay in your place. The intervention, as well as the evaluation, must be carried out by a professional.

Coping with depression: psychological therapy as the first and main option

Sometimes it causes laziness, at other times it is scary, at other times there is no motivation or one does not “trust psychology”. In one way or another, depression forms a general and persistent mood from which it is possible to escape.

Although there are cases of spontaneous remission, in reality there are people who live with depression for many years. Others for life. This does not mean that depression cannot be addressed, but that perhaps it has never been treated with a targeted, adapted and specialized intervention.

Although these are extremely different examples, one cannot expect to cure leukemia without seeking medical attention. You can also wait before contacting a dermatologist if you notice that a mole grows out of all proportion, but all the time left is likely to play to your detriment. The same goes for psychological disorders.

Therefore, even if we think we are not feeling sick to the point of having to go into therapy, that it is not worth it or that it will not help, it is better to be safe than sorry and work in time to prevent the depression from escalating.

If personal resources allow, therapy can be the first step in overcoming depression and starting a well-oriented job with professionals trained to provide help in these cases. It is about directing those forces that depression has not yet consumed towards mental resources that give us back control and well-being.