The most effective treatment to overcome depression
There are more and more people in the world who suffer from it and suffer from it. We are talking about depression, the mental illness of the 21st century. And in this article we ask ourselves something very important: is depression cured? Or is someone with depression destined to live their whole life with it? We have talked about this with Laura Lobe, a psychologist on the Medium application and medical chat, and these are the words of encouragement that she has transmitted to us:
Am I depressed or am I just sad? Symptoms of depression
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there are already 300 million people worldwide who suffer from depression and, furthermore, it is one of the main causes of disability. However, this mental disorder is not so easy to detect and diagnose. First, because people who suffer from it tend to think that they are only sad, that it is a temporary downturn that does not need professional help, and second, because there are still many prejudices in society when it comes to seeing a psychologist.
But the truth is that depression and sadness have nothing to do with each other and although the latter is a basic emotion that is part of depression, to know if you have depression you have to experience a series of symptoms (in addition to sadness). For at least two weeks in a row.
And what are these symptoms? “The person who is going through a depression stops doing the activities that he used to do and wanted, he has less ability to concentrate, he feels useless …. He can also experience changes in mood and appetite, “Laura tells us. “And, of course, to know that it is depression and not a simple stage of sadness, all these symptoms have to harm this person in their day-to-day life and prevent them from carrying out their routine tasks normally,” she says. .
Can I cure myself of depression? The best treatment to overcome it
- Depression is quite a long, dark and discouraging road for the person who suffers from it, but resoundingly YES: depression is cured. “Depression can always be treated and you can get out of it if you follow the instructions of a specialist and a treatment based on the combination of psychotherapy and psychoactive drugs.”
- Although depression and its symptoms can be mild or severe, the treatment to overcome it always involves:
- Go to a psychologist: this is one of the most important points. The psychologist is the professional who will diagnose your depression and determine what kind of therapy is most appropriate for your specific case (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy…) do not hesitate to go to a psychologist. As Laura Lobe says, “by going to a psychologist you are taking care of a very important part of your body (your mind). In addition, the psychologist is not going to judge you at any time, he will be the person who will best understand you”.
- Drugs: although some people resist taking drugs for depression for fear of dependence on them, the truth is that some cases need these drugs to notice an improvement in symptoms and be able to lead a normal life. Of course, it should always be a professional who is in charge of prescribing the appropriate dose for each patient.
- Exercising regularly: more than once you will have heard that exercising releases endorphins and serotonin (the famous hormone of happiness). Walking, swimming, running, going to the gym … All of them can be great supplements to treat depression and cure it.
- Sleep well: the quantity and quality of sleep has a direct impact on your mood, so if you have trouble sleeping it is likely that your symptoms of depression will worsen. To better fall asleep and make it truly restful, you can help yourself with some relaxation techniques or do Mindfulness before going to bed.
- Do not abandon the treatment: another of the fundamental points. If you really want to beat depression, it is important that you do not stop treatment until the specialist tells you to. Do not miss sessions with the psychologist or stop taking antidepressants on your own (even if you think you already feel much better)? If you stop treatment early, you could have a much worse relapse.