.png)
Depression
Depression is a mental disorder that can profoundly affect the lives of those who experience it. It manifests in a lingering sense of sadness, loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, and a general decrease in energy and motivation. Often, depression is also accompanied by changes in appetite, sleep, and concentration, as well as feelings of guilt, hopelessness, and recurrent negative thoughts. These symptoms can be very challenging but you have to know that you are not alone in this battle.
Each person is unique and depression can manifest itself in different ways. Therefore, I personalize the therapeutic intervention to adapt it to your individual needs. Evidence-based priority approaches are Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, among others.
For sure, you don’t feel like going to therapy and even less talking about your problems with someone you don’t know. The Motivational Interviewing will help us build the initial link to move towards your goals and illusions. It is much easier to start walking with someone than alone.
During the session you can talk openly about your feelings and thoughts without fear of judgment. We will work together to explore the underlying causes of your depression, identify negative thought patterns, and develop effective strategies to manage your emotions. In addition, with the help of Positive Psychology we will look for your strengths to fight depression and prevent it in the future.
You can follow some tips in your life both to get out of depression and to prevent it:
-
Increase the number of activities and establish routines. Despite not wanting to do anything, it is advisable to "force" yourself to start some activity that you like, that you liked or that you always wanted to do. Performing the actvity, that you like a lot, you will get pleasure and satisfaction during it and after. What’s more, if it’s an activity with other people, even better. Activities can be small but meaningful for you, such as taking a walk, going to the park or cinema, reading a book, going to the pool, listening to music or playing on the computer.
-
Maintain a balanced diet. Diet can play an important role in your mood. Try to eat a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Avoid processed and sugary foods, as they can have a negative impact on your emotional well-being.
-
Regular exercise. Regular physical activity has been shown to be beneficial in reducing symptoms of depression. Exercise releases endorphins, neurotransmitters that help improve mood. Find a form of exercise that you like, whether it’s walking, running, yoga, or gym exercise, and integrate it into your daily routine.
-
Set realistic goals. Depression can make you feel hopeless and directionless. Setting realistic goals, both short and long terms, can help you regain a sense of purpose and personal achievement. Divide your goals into achievable steps and celebrate your achievements, however small.
-
Seek social support. Do not face depression alone. Seek support from family, friends, or support groups. Sharing your feelings and experiences with people you trust can provide you with emotional comfort and different perspectives.
-
Personal care. Take time to take care of yourself. Prioritize adequate rest, restful sleep and activities that give you pleasure and relaxation. This may include self-care practices such as taking relaxing baths, meditating, practicing deep breathing techniques, or spending time on creative activities.
With the right support and commitment to yourself, you can overcome it and build a life full of hope and satisfaction. Together, we can build a brighter future full of possibilities.
Técnicas y estrategias.
1. Behavioral activation.
It consists of increasing the amount of rewarding, pleasurable and relevant behaviors. When we have depression, we usually go into thought loops and pay close attention to our negative inner states. Some people become disconnected from the outside and spend hours in their inner world where rumiative thoughts predominate. We may come to believe that by analyzing our negative state we will reach a solution and stop having depression. Although this does not happen, we continue to spend days with our thoughts and emotions. We neglect our social life and stop doing activities which further shrinks the cycle of depression since the amount of pleasure gets lower and lower.
To avoid this it is important to return to activities that you liked before, those you would like to do or those that are relevant. You can create a hierarchy of activities by putting at the first level the activities you manage to do with little effort, for example, getting up every day before 9 o'clock or reading every day, at least 20 minutes. In the last level you put the most difficult activities to perform, for example, travel once a month or finish a programming course you always wanted Starting from the level 1, each week you add 1-2 new activities. You can set very specific goals for each week, for example, get up 5 days a week before 9, cook 3 times, read 6 days duiring 40 minutes, draw 4 days and go for 1 hour 4 days. If you achieve the goals, increase the frequency and the number of activities. Maybe it will cost you to start an activity but once you start, you will get some pleasure. They are worth both pleasant activities as the relevant like washing dishes, cooking, cleaning etc. These activities help you reduce the amount of time you spend ruminating and analyzing your mood that does not take you anywhere and only sinks you.
2. Significant persons
When we have depression we tend to move away from the outside world. Our social life is reduced considerably. Social support has significant power. When we lose it, we feel more alone and empty. To avoid this, keep in touch with the important people in your life. Take advantage of the social support that is provided by your closest persons. Besides, you can recover old friendships. You don’t have to always talk about your problems, you can talk about many other topics. This will allow you to spend less time in your inner world. Right now you need help and friends and family can provide it. Use this precious resource.
3. Here and now.
This technique allows you to pay attention to external stimuli instead of being in your inner world. It is described on the page about Anxiety (technique N 6).