depression explained?

There are over 17 million people in South Africa living with mental health diagnoses such as depression. The causes of depression are indicated to be dependent on the changes that happen in the neurotransmitters of the brain which then affects the way the brain regulates motion. This condition has a detrimental impact on family life, social activity, workplace productivity, mental and physical activity. In addition, it can easily be masked behind drug addiction or alcohol addiction.

Depression causes the mind to change your thought pattern which in turn leaves your mind, body and energy affected. In fact, depression remains to be one of the top ten worst mental illnesses anyone could live with, according to victims who have lived with this condition for years, taking the spot at number five. This is not to say that living with mental illness is something one should weigh up but instead to always respect, acknowledge, and consider everyone’s experience. Everyone is Important. You matter, I matter and so does the next person.

what are the Symptoms of Depression

• A change in sleep patterns
• Changes in appetite and or weight loss
• Feelings of hopelessness, guilt and unworthiness
• Pessimism about the future
• Acts and or ideas of self-destruction/suicide
• Unexplained physical symptoms
• Low mood
• Withdrawal
• Lack of concentration and attention
• Reduced self-esteem and self confidence
• Low libido

How Is Depression Diagnosed?

Due to the many symptoms of depression, the diagnosis which is performed by a certified Psychiatrist, may vary from patient to patient depending on different circumstance. There are no medicals required to be taken or any other forms of investigations for a patient to be diagnosed. The symptoms usually suggest a change in the patient’s ‘normal’ mood which generally should have been present for a period as short as two weeks to a period of several months.

How Is Depression Treated?

There is an excellent rate of treatment for depression. Depending on the severity of your diagnosis, your Psychiatrist may generally recommend medication for 9 to 12 months if not longer. Psychotherapy which involves using psychological methods on a patient regularly can be exceptionally beneficial. Psychopharmacology, which is taking medication orally, has been scientifically proven to assist with depressive conditions irrespective of the side effects. Physical therapies such as ECT, which is an acronym for Electroconvulsive Therapy, have also proven to be a success in the treatment of depression. According to research, the best and most recommended treatment is a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacology. 

WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

• An improvement in your symptoms should be noticeable after 1 to 2 weeks (The symptoms may take as long as 6 weeks to disappear)
  
• Regular follow up appointments with your treating team is mandatory to monitor your progression
• Do not stop taking your medication even though you may feel better. Only your Psychiatrist can authorize this
• A lifestyle change

 managing depression using realistic thinking

The purpose of realistic thinking is to:

• Always identify the thoughts (in this instance, the depressive thoughts) that have led you to the mood of depression in which you are currently jammed in
• You then need to challenge these thoughts and find a way to transition them into thoughts that are more practical
• Lastly, you’ll need to practice this “easier said than done” process of realistic thinking. Remember:

“An Elephant Sometimes Comes Right”, according to my Occupational Therapist anyway. For those of you who don’t know this as yet, these are acronyms for the memory process which is beneficial for psychological rejuvenation and improving your mental capacity.

THE MEMORY PROCESS REVEALED

The process of memory involves various skills and stages but for the purposes of this post, liken this process to a Jukebox.

• Step 1: Pay ATTENTION so you can record the information.
• Step 2: ENCODE (This is the most important part, give meaning to what you’ve just registered so that it’s worthy to store. Liken the information to emotional events or particular things that interest you).
• Step 3: STORE the information in a safe place.
• Step 4: CONSOLIDATE the information (Remember, practice makes perfect!).
• Step 5:  This way you can RETRIEVE the information when you need it, easy peasy lemon squeezy. You can improve this step by giving yourself cue’s eg. ‘She said her name was Bo Dean, I really did like Bo from the incessant soap opera Days of Our Lives’.

Increasing realistic thinking will aid in the reduction of your emotions to develop into a negative nature. Getting back to the question at hand though, realistic thinking refers to seeing things, situations and circumstances as clearly as they are. This means that what you are seeing has no tint of fabrication or disturbance induced on the initial thought itself. For you to achieve this it is important to balance both the positives and negatives that are always circling your life. You also need to bear in mind that the accuracy of your future and goals is set at an achievable level. It is unquestionable that feeling disappointment is effortless. On this account it is best to omit exaggeration because it is an open invitation for bad outcomes. 

How Do I Spot Depressive Thoughts?

• Paying attention to what you are thinking
• Becoming aware of what you are telling yourself

• Taking note of the thinking methods you use to get by on a daily basis
• Inking your thoughts down: Consider a thought journal as this could help you detect your behavioral patterns
• Having a go at psychotherapy: A therapist can help you identify and puzzle out your negative thinking