Dealing With Depression

Originally Posted by nanaman

Many times people don't realize it's the physical which is unwell and think can only think of it as mental ill-health. I'd say most people think of curing depression by pills or talk therapy, and well I'm not saying that is completely wrong, however I'd search for any physical ailments before trying pills.

While I don't disagree with you entirely, I believe that you're thinking of the physical and the mental as two divided beings. This is not the case. SSRIs (modern anti-depressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) work by increasing the amount of serotonin available in the synaptic gap. Serotonin itself is a stimulant. In short, that means that through changing the physical, which is what anti-depressants do, your mental state can be changed as well. The mind is esentially nothing but a consequence of electrochemical reactions.

You might want to consider anti-depressants. They have helped me a great deal, although there is a high chance of relapse once you stop taking them. The most effective therapeutic approach for depression has emerged to be a combination of anti-depressants and either behavioural therapy (CBT) or interpersonal therapy (IPT), dependent on the person and the severity of the depression. Most counsellors and psychotherapists today use a combined approach, though - so pretty much whatever works for the person sitting there. That's probably the most realistic way of going about it.

All that talk about the subconscious has got nothing to do with that - that's psychoanalysis, which is currently becoming rather unpopular, and has also moved beyond all that "your subconscious is causing it" stuff. It's such a cliché that all psychologists actually work like that.

IPT basically works by establishing a relationship with another person, which leads to a more positive interaction, and thus more positive social experiences.

CBT intends to challenge your cognitive schemas, your perspective of the world, the self and the future, as well as the behaviours this leads to. It basically attempts to break the vicious cycle and make you evaluate your own beliefs.

All that is very well, but in practice, talking therapy is really highly dependent on the counsellor or psychotherapist involved, and you yourself as the person who's sitting there.

I, personally, found counselling the greatest help, because it was so non-judgemental, and you could just talk. Sometimes, that's all you need, just talk to someone who won't tell you what to think, or what you should be like. The hard thing is sustaining that positive effect - I'd always feel good for a few hours after a session, but then the bad feelings would return. I am better at dealing with them now, though, because I've learned coping strategies. And at the time, it was these meetings which kept me going.

I won't lie, though, I think depression is always a process, always going up and down again, and it's you yourself who has to work on it the most. Maybe that's the hardest thing, but it's worth it. You need to find a way of dealing with it that is right for you. And if it doesn't get better, I'd advise you to seek help. There is nothing to be ashamed of about that (although I have to admit I still feel ashamed about it).

Good luck with everything.

Jam it back in, in the dark.