The definition of cure given in Oxford dictionary refers to “relieiving and recovering from a disease that one goes through at any point in time”. Cure Depression is also best understood in layman terms as fixing things and transforming it back to exactly how they were before. Cure for a stuffy nose, medicines that reduce congestion in the nose. Cure for a stomach ache, medicines that balance the activities in the gut. All of this makes us think that our body is back to how it used to be. Problem solved.
But what truly happens scientifically and practically is not the reverse of a disease or a problem, so that the issues are fixed. Rather, medicine makes our body parts adapt to the conditions causing us problems or diseases. It teaches our body how to recognise the bacteria and viruses so that we can fight those pathogens ourselves next time.
Similarly, the same is the case for the diseases of the mind. What upsets us, what makes our brain and mind go haywire, are the things that modern medicines and therapies target and then focus on adapting to the environment in a new way, rather than trying to bring back the old functions or way of functioning. Thus, a cure is notthe reversal or dismissal of the disease but rather a progress and an adaptation to the new reality.
Depression is a disease of the mind.
There’s always a debate about whether depression is an illness or just a myth. Modern research shows brain activities that are affected heavily when a person is going through depression compared to a person who is objectively healthy.
Such brain studies, behavioural studies and many research being conducted till date argue in favour that depression is a real mental health issue with biological, physiological, psychological and socio-economic underpinnings. A disorder where mind goes through many inhibitory changes, which results in the following signs and symptoms.
- Not being able to have interest or pleasure in any activity
- Inability to sleep or sleeping way too much
- Constant rumination of thoughts
- Loss of interest to eat or eating too much all of a sudden
- Reporting of having a low mood than average for the person for a prolonged period.
- Concentration issues arise
- Shift in energy in the body as fatigue and tiredness take over much often than not
- Having frequent thoughts about death, dying, and suicidal ideation, which refers to thinking of killing oneself/harming oneself.
Causes of Depression
The causes of depression are many. Ranging from neurochemical imbalances to societal pressures and policies. Depression is an illness too easy to catch and equally hard to come out of. According to the biomedical model, when a person is in a depression state, then the neurotransmitters that regulate mood, appetite, and overall energy of the body start malfunctioning.
The serotonin, dopamine, etc. which we call today as the happy hormones, are the ones responsible for motivation and mood regulation. Thus, when we start noticing these changes within ourselves, taking medications that target the said neurotransmitter chemicals can help to deal with and manage the symptoms caused by those specific chemicals in our brain.
The psychological model says that when there is a lot of stress in a person’s life, the prolonged stress can harm our body, where the stress hormone, the fight and flight response, can jeopardize our immune system, heart function and many more.
When our body suffers due to chronic stress, depression becomes a result of our mind being impacted by the external stressors. Not being able to cope up alone by ourselves, heightens the depression related symptoms and problems.
Furthermore, any traumatic event, activity that happens with the person can also contribute to the development of depressive symptoms and signs in a person.
The socio-economic model tells us that the environment a person lives in contributes heavily to the development and maintaining and sustaining the many consequences of depressive illness. Malnutrition, pollution, poverty, lack of accesibility to resources for everyday survival, and many more factors that ultimately shape a person’s lifestyle can become a cause for depression.
And these factors, when found prolonged in an individual’s life, can make it extremely difficult for the person to come out of depression. Having low satisfaction with life, with the circumstance,s and being pushed so far as to thinking about harming oneself as a solution or a way out for the individual to get away from the pain and suffering are factors that are known to cause and maintain depressive episodes in a human for longer periods of time.
The Importance of Counselling in Depression Management
Acknowledge the Root Causes: Trained therapists help their clients pinpoint all of the psychological factors contributing to their depression, including unresolved emotional problems, negative thought patterns, and traumatic experiences, sitting with the client to explore and rewrite their past experiences.
Development of Coping Mechanisms: depression counselling techniques provide individuals with practical tools to manage their symptoms of depression, improve their emotional regulation skills, and boost their resilience.
Effective Depression Counseling Methods
When treating depression, a number of evidence-based therapy modalities have shown exceptional efficacy:
CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy
This therapy helps the clients to identify and challenge negative thought patterns, which makes client have low self-esteem and self-confidence; therefore, recognising them in a safe space becomes essential. This technique teaches skills to reframe destructive thinking into alternative constructive patterns. It also provides practical techniques for changing maladaptive behavioral responses.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
The focus is on improving the relationship dynamics of the client. It begins by addressing social support systems which the client can benefit from. Helps patients communicate more effectively and resolve interpersonal conflicts for long term problem solving.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
This approach which focuses on creating awareness about what’s real and not, therefore fostering radical acceptance of reality, which is then accompanied by shifts in language usage that ensure the way we communicate with ourselves and others donot create unnecessary expectations and end up making us feel unwanted negative emotions.
Comprehensive Approaches to Depression Treatment
While counselling is crucial, a holistic treatment plan typically requires additional interventions:
Medical intervention, such as visiting a psychiatrist, getting evaluated professionally. Getting a prescription of antidepressant medications if needed be which can be paired with psychotherapy for maximum benefits. Getting regular medical checkups ensures that no underlying problem or comorbidity exists with mental health issues.
Lifestyle Modifications are very essential need of the hour. To prevent any disease, physical or mental, regular physical exercise, having a balanced, nutritious meal and diet, and building a consistent sleep bedtime routine and wake-up schedule are a must. There are many ways to cope up with stress, finding ways that donot create more problems and also effectively deal with the situation.
Supportive Strategies can look like having a support system. Building a strong social support can work wonders in times of solitude and negativity. Engaging in community work, social work, spending quality time with family, friends and important support groups can encourage growth and healing. Every day, engage in mindfulness and meditation practices to guarantee mental health growth.
In conclusion
Although it is a very useful tool for managing depression, counseling is not a cure in and of itself. The most effective approach combines medical intervention lifestyle changes professional psychological assistance and a wide-ranging support system. It is possible for people to improve their overall quality of life and manage cure depression with the right support and comprehensive therapy.
