Self-Help for Depression E-Book

David Mann

• Herausgeber: via tolino media
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

This guide for people with depression is divided into 12 chapters, the contents of which can be classified as follows: - Chapters 1 to 7 provide important information about depression, - Chapter 8 covers self-help options, particularly self-care and self-efficacy, - Chapter 9 focuses on medication treatment, - Chapter 10 deals with relapse to depression, - Chapter 11 deals with the need for and planning of psychotherapy. - Chapter 12 deals with the relatives of those close to us. As can be seen from the list, the guide covers all the important aspects for those with a depressive illness. The individual chapters all follow the same clear structure: - A quote - Detailed elaboration of the chapter's main topic. - A summary of the most important points - A description of the effects or steps the person should take or follow from what he or she has read. The intent of the book is to encourage readers to treat themselves more consciously. The chapters are all written in simple, understandable language and are very enjoyable to read. For readers who have less time or are more "lazy readers," the very structured division of the individual chapters allows them to read only their summary and the steps to be taken from it. The main chapter "What you can do - self-care and self-efficacy" covers the following relevant aspects: - Hygiene of life with regard to nutrition and sleep - Gratitude - Value-oriented and meaningful action - Coping with feelings - Self-irony and self-compassion - Importance of sports and exercise - The role of relationships - Learning to switch off and give up excesses - Ways to lighten the mood As mentioned, all of the topics mentioned above are key elements in the treatment of depression and can also be read individually, depending on your needs and interests. However, given its manageable size, we recommend reading the entire book, which provides a comprehensive but concise overview of relevant and useful topics for the treatment of depressive illness.

Leseprobe

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Imprint

Foreword

1. How to recognize that you suffer from depression

2. Different courses of depression

3. Why depression is often overlooked and how to recognize it more easily.

4 Is depression a disease of the modern era?

5. Explanations for the development of depression: the vulnerability-stress model

6. Good in Bad: Are There Good Reasons for Depression?

7. Warning life threatening! -- Why depression can be deadly

8. What you can do - self-care and self-efficacy

9. When are medications or light therapy useful?

10. How to recognize a relapse in time

11. When you need psychotherapy and how to get there

12. Tips for partners and friends

13 Summary and perspectives

Self-Help for Depression

Guide and techniques, in 12 points, on how to improve your life and heal yourself from depressive disorder

Imprint

© 2022, David Mann

All rights reserved.

Author: Mann, David

Contact: [email protected]

This book may not be resold or given to others. If you want to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

Important Notice

The information and advice contained in the book have been carefully verified. However, the publisher and the author cannot be held responsible for errors or negative consequences resulting from the application of the information or advice presented. All exercises and support measures are performed by readers under their own responsibility.

Foreword

When I set out to write a guide on how to deal with depression, at first I thought: why another book on this topic? But then I started to like the idea more and more and I realized that this topic is like most others: there are different points of view, different perspectives, different approaches and there are different people. It is never possible for all sufferers to find their way to the subject and a better way to deal with their ailments with one guide. It is the same with many psychotherapists: I have to find the right one for me, otherwise well-meaning help will not work.

Moreover, the topic is too important not to be approached again in a different way, with a different therapeutic approach, indeed it must be addressed. After all, in Europe one person takes their own life every 45 minutes or so, and at least half of them suffer from depression!

This book is essentially about the aspect of self-care. By this I do not mean to advocate unbridled selfishness, but rather a benevolent and caring approach to oneself. Self-care should not be confused with self-optimization, which today can hardly be escaped, nor with self-exploitation, which is increasingly encountered under the guise of mental and physical fitness offers, especially in the business world. My goal is rather to show that a first step out of depression can be done with a serious concern for one's own person. Yes, depression can be an open door to finally taking care of yourself and your needs. Depression can lead not only to "reviewing the earth", but also to entering new territory and changing one's life to return to health.

After all, despite all the education on the subject of depression and despite some prominent personalities coming out about their depression, there is still considerable stigmatization. It means that people with mental problems, such as depression, are not capable enough for our society.

I would also like to counter this with this book. Depression can affect anyone, it is not a sign of weakness or failure. On the one hand it causes suffering, but on the other it also contains a potential for growth and change. I would also like to encourage him with this book.

If you are suffering from depression, may you see the earth again! It is worth going towards it.

1. How to recognize that you suffer from depression

The pain of the soul is worse than the pain of the body

Publilius Syusy, first century BC

The Hollywood movie "The Beaver" tells about the effects and ways out of a depressive illness. Walter Black, played by Mel Gibson, is the manager of a toy factory and a family man. He suffers from chronic depression, which becomes more and more severe as the film progresses. In the end he is barely able to communicate and do his job. The lack of words spreads and the family loses its cohesion. When his wife Meredith, played by Jodie Foster, separates from him, Walter takes refuge more and more in alcohol, finally attempting to take his own life.

But then he finds a beaver hand-made puppet in a garbage can. With his help, he begins to connect with other people and gradually re-approach everyday life. The hand puppet becomes a second self that embodies much of what he supposedly does not possess himself: self-confidence, the ability to make contact, creativity, etc. In this way, a better relationship with his family develops again. However, the beaver increasingly takes control over Walter's life. When she realizes this addiction, she tries to separate herself from the doll.

For a long time, Porter, Walter's eldest son, rejects his father and his behavior, which he finds embarrassing. But when Norah, whom he adores and for whom he wrote a graduation speech at school, publicly confesses this betrayal and at the same time talks about her trauma over the loss of her deceased brother, Porter realizes the importance of family ties and begins to understand her father. For the first time, a real and open relationship develops between father and son. Also thanks to this, Walter manages to return to his normal life.

This 2011 film, impressive and at times very touching, tackles the theme of depression with many of its facets. It impressively describes the effects that lack of words, which often accompanies depression, can have. The book aims to overcome the lack of words of those affected and their relatives. However, not infrequently the confrontation with depression involves a significant break in the life of the person concerned. The film also demonstrates this impressively. At the same time, the film conveys a central message that should also run through the entire book: You are not alone with your depression and there are many ways out of speechlessness, withdrawal and depressive despair!

Depression is common. Recent studies estimate that about seven percent of the European population will develop depression within a year. Other studies show that the probability of developing depression in the course of a lifetime is around 15%. The World Health Organization recognizes depression as one of the most common diseases in the world, associated with a "reduction in lifespan" (measured by so-called "disability-adjusted life years"). The WHO also speculates that the damage caused by depressive illnesses will continue to increase in the coming years.

Depression is not only widespread, but is often not recognized and therefore often has a chronic course. This situation is tragic not only because of the suffering it causes in those affected and their surroundings, but also because depression is an easily treatable disease, for which there are now numerous scientifically recognized therapeutic approaches.

How do you tell if you have depression? Is every mood already an indication of depression? Absolutely not! Rather, mood swings are a natural part of our human experience. They are even an expression of mental health, which is expressed in a wide range of feelings. Those who do not know bad days or disappointments are not even able to experience deep joy or moments of happiness. Who has never experienced that the sun shining from a deep blue sky after a few rainy days lifts our mood in a very special way, as well as the awakening of nature after the long winter months. Our life unfolds in a pendulum between different poles. If the pendulum stops for a long time at one point, the flow of life is disturbed. Permanent happiness is not possible and probably not healthy or worthy of being pursued: because then there is no longer a point of reference and the tension and therefore the motivation that sets us in motion in any direction disappears. But even prolonged persistence in a depressed or even gloomy mood is not natural.

Depression is characterized by a marked change at various levels of the human experience that lasts for at least two weeks.

As a rule, these changes are manifested at the physical level, for example with night sleep disorders, changes in appetite and weight, and even changes in sexuality. This is one of the reasons why both sufferers and their doctors often spend a lot of time looking for a physical cause of the disorders and initially do not even think about a mental illness.

In addition, changes may appear at the behavioral level which outsiders may notice more than ourselves. Those affected often withdraw from social activities, increasingly cancel leisure activities, neglect sports activities or hobbies. At the same time, however, some complain of an annoying inner restlessness that keeps them on their toes without being "productive" in a positive sense.

Psychological changes go hand in hand with this. Often a persistently depressed mood develops, but not infrequently also an increasing irritability, which many people do not even think about depression. But precisely this type of irritability, which was previously unknown to the person, is a typical sign of depression, especially in men! There are also fears that are tinged with depression, such as not being able to cope with the demands of daily life and sometimes life, not being able to feed themselves and perhaps their family for this reason, no longer being able to live, etc. The ability to be happy about things and actively pursue one's own interests changes and can be lost completely over time. Driving suffers, many affected people report having to force themselves to do the normal things of daily life. Some can no longer do so and remain in bed, without this bringing rest and regeneration. On the contrary, exhaustion increases. Over time, self-doubt develops into uncertainty and self-criticism. Not infrequently this is associated with the feeling of being responsible for unhappiness. At the same time, those affected are ashamed to confide their dilemma to others. They feel responsible for this "alleged weakness".

Finally, depressive symptoms also manifest themselves in a change of thinking about oneself and the surrounding environment. The glasses through which one perceives the world have become dark, so to speak, one looks at oneself in a negative way and sees only one's own alleged failures. The "solar world" of others seems unattainable, the gap with the positive side of life insurmountable. Actual limitations in concentration, attention, and planned action also often occur, which further disturb. Sometimes the despair is so great that suicide seems to be the only way out.

Synthesis

Depressive symptoms are divided into main and secondary. The severity of the disease can be inferred from the respective number of symptoms.

The main symptoms of depression are:

depressed mood and/or irritable depressive mood

Reduction or significant loss of interest and fun

Lack of stimulation and fatigue

Secondary symptoms of depression are

Reduced concentration and attention

Reduced self-esteem and self-confidence

Feelings of guilt, shame and worthlessness

Exaggerated fears of the future or "vision of black".

suicidal thoughts or attempts, self-inflicted injuries

Restlessness or inhibition of movements

In addition, physical changes may also indicate depression:

General physical fatigue or persistent tiredness and exhaustion

Difficulty falling asleep and/or sleeping through the night, occasionally associated with significantly early awakenings without having slept through the night.

Appetite disorders, disorders of the digestive system with a feeling of fullness, tendency to constipation or even diarrhea, as well as weight changes.

Pain of various kinds, especially in the head and back

Feeling of pressure in the throat and chest

Disorders of the heart and circulation, for example, palpitations and shortness of breath.

Dizziness

Muscle tension

Sexual reluctance

What does it mean?

Now perhaps you will rightly object that with such a multitude of symptoms you lose the overview. At the same time, you may be familiar with one or the other symptom and start looking anxiously for others. This wide range of possible depressive symptoms is one of the main reasons why depression often goes unrecognized.

That's why the two-question test is suitable at this point to have a first orientation:

1. In the last month, have you often felt down, sad, depressed or hopeless?

2. In the last month, have you had a significant decrease in the desire and pleasure to do the things you usually like to do?

If the answer is "yes" to both questions, you should contact your GP and talk to him. This test should only be considered as an orientation and does not apply in this form if, for example, you have just lost a loved one and are grieving for it! In this case, the symptoms described are probably signs of a normal reaction to bereavement and not signs of depression. However, if the mourning is still accompanied by the symptoms mentioned after two years, it has probably turned into depression.

The question is whether you notice a difference between your past behavior and your current behavior. In that case, it could be depression. However, it is good to clarify this with a doctor or psychotherapist.

2. Different courses of depression

The most beautiful thing in the world is to understand what you are.

Michel de Montaigne

Mr. B., 55, is admitted to our psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic, because his family doctor had recommended hospitalization. But he himself does not understand the need for it at all. Psychologically he is well, has life under control, goes to work regularly and practices his hobby, diving. When asked if hospitalization in a psychosomatic clinic makes sense, he replies that he wants to lose weight and that maybe he will be able to sleep better. So the first days pass, as he tells us later, with suitcases ready, so that we can leave the clinic spontaneously at any time.

Already in the second week, however, he reports difficulties in collaboration that worry him. He loves his wife, but shortly before his departure the relationship hit a new bottom. His wife needed help. What about him? Well, maybe even. Gratefully accept the suggestion of a common discussion. It is in this conversation that the extent of his wordlessness on the one hand, but also his depression on the other, becomes truly clear. His wife reports that he no longer leaves the couch after work and no longer participates in family life. His three children had already abandoned him and didn't even ask him to do anything with them. Finally, he confesses that everything is difficult for him, that he only does his job as if he were stunned and that he has lost the joy of living. Again and again he wonders what it is. However, his family was the most important thing to him, but he didn't know how to get back to her.

Suddenly the atmosphere of the conversation changes, the spouses can look at each other and admit that they want to fight for their relationship. From that moment on, the attitude towards rehabilitation changes. Mr. B. enters group psychotherapy and breaks his decades-long silence for the first time. Finally, he confesses at the end of his stay, he has begun to come out of his shell and admit to himself that he can accept help even as a man, indeed that this makes it easier.

Depression manifests itself in a wide variety of forms. The symptoms of depression described in the previous chapter are just as varied as its course. In the previous chapter we learned about the main and secondary symptoms of depression. The severity of the respective disease can now be determined relatively easily by the number of symptoms. If at least two main and two secondary symptoms are present for a period of at least fourteen days, it is called a depressive episode. If the number of secondary symptoms rises to three or four, it is a moderate depressive episode. If, on the other hand, all three main symptoms and at least four or more secondary symptoms are present, it is called a major depressive episode.

To further assess the treatment and course, you need to also look at your own past. If there has already been a depressive episode in the past, in medicine we speak of recurrent depressive illness. This information is important because both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment should now be administered for a longer period of time, also in the sense of relapse prevention.

Long-term studies indicate that 50% of depressed patients are healthy again after six months, regardless of treatment (although treatment shortens the duration). 10-25% of patients have a chronic course lasting more than two years, while 7% suffer from unchanged depression even after ten years. Since it is not possible to predict the course of the disease, patients should always consult their family doctor first.

In addition to the depressive episode, there are several mild forms of depression. We speak of depressive adaptation disorder of variable duration when people suffer from one of the main symptoms mentioned above and some additional secondary symptoms. This phase is often triggered as a reaction to external events such as a separation, loss or change of job, the death of close relatives, but sometimes also to joyful events such as marriage or the creation of a family.

A justified criticism of the recently published American system of classification of mental illness (DSM-5) is the increasing pathologization of healthy human reactions. Therefore, if you consult the classification system mentioned above, you can speak of depressive disorder after only three weeks of prolonged mourning. This is absurd and must be rejected, but it reflects a social tendency to treat death, dying and mourning in a taboo way. Not without reason, however, many cultures speak of a year of mourning and therefore refer to the need for longer farewell processes.

Does this make the depressive reaction a superfluous diagnostic category? Of course not. Although the course of a depressive adjustment disorder usually lasts only a few months, this process can also become chronic and lead to a depressive episode. In this case, the depressive reaction should be considered as a precursor. Although people repeatedly react to life events described with mild and persistent depressive moods, this indicates a predisposition that should be taken into account.

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