Advice: Dealing with Depression Symptoms

Depression is an Affection Derangement that compromises the psychic functions, mentally and emotionally as a whole and is a very common disease. The World Health Organization says that one in each 4 women and one in each 8 men will have, at least, one depressive episode in their entire life. How is it possible to deal with the depression symptoms and live a normal life?

Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent Van Gogh

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According to Isaías Paim, in the Depressive States, the psychic functions are disturbed in the whole, and the most typical symptoms are sadness, anguish and motility psychoinibition. Sadness may be present in Depressive States, but it is not mandatory. In Depression Vs. Sadness I differentiate them and show that a person doesn't need to seem sad to be depressed.

One of the most important aspects of the Depression is the alteration in the way the patient values the things that happen with him. As a Psychologist and in my clinic experience, I must say that the worst symptom in depression is the general dismay. The General Dismay, in depression, is the total lack of will to do anything. The patient's judgment is compromised and he doesn't see any reason to do anything. So, how to deal with the depression symptoms and most important, with the General Dismay?

In this article I want to list the advices that tend to be more efficient to help the patients to deal with depression.

1 - Develop a Schedule for Outside Exercise: I know that depressed patients are terrified by the mere idea of moving and doing some physical activity, and that is a part of the General Dismay. What you should do, as a patient with depression or a loved one trying to help, is to establish small goals, one day at a time. Twenty minutes a day of outside walking can make a huge difference, and maybe that is all that the depressed patient needs: 20 minutes walking outside per day. Exercise releases endorphins and being outside increases the amount of mental stimulation, what in other words, may put the brain to work a little faster.

2 - Change the routine: Once again, that tip is for mind stimulation. The same routine over and over may induce the depressed patient's mind to a frozen state. Changing the routine, such as changing the way home from work, the place to have lunch and the time doing the things will stimulate brain and mind activity in the depressed patient. This mind activity stimulation will produce a relief in the depression symptoms. The depressed patient will be reluctant to do it, but once he agrees with the routine changing, he will enjoy it.

3 -An enjoyable activity every single day: That's a simple one. Although the depressed patient will be reluctant in the beginning, doing an enjoyable activity with the prospect of the relief of the symptoms is quite an attractive idea. Sooner or later the depression patient will agree with this one. In fact, all the patient has to do is something he enjoys every single day (or at least used to enjoy before depression). If the patient likes to go the movies, eat at diners, receiving a massage, or anything else, he must choose in each day of the week one of this activities to go through. Following that tip will produce a relief in the symptoms, and the forced contact with the good things of life will remind the patient of what he is losing by living in depression, what might speed up the healing process.

4 - The presence of the loved ones: Although the depressed patient will say that prefers to be alone, the presence of loved ones will force the touch with reality. Although Depression is not a Psychotic state and primarily doesn't induce hallucination or hallucionosis, it builds a distance between the patient and the feeling of reality. The daily presence of the loved ones, especially friends, can help this contact with reality and may produce a relief of the symptoms.

Well... those are tips to relief the symptoms, but they will hardly produce a cure and certainly won't substitute the Psychologist. Depressed patients may take advantage of those tips, but the help of a professional therapist is the fastest way to the cure.