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Depression
Depression has become one of the most common and troubling emotional experiences by a significant proportion of societies all over the world.
The cognitive model of understanding the development of Depression highlights an underlying mental and emotional process with depressive symptoms and experiences as a result.
Many people suffering from depression have had troubling, abusive or traumatic experiences early in life. These experiences lead to negative and dysfunctional assumptions about life, ourselves, other people or society. When an incident occurs that reminds the person, consciously but often on a sub conscientious level, of similar previous experiences. The assumption formed with the previous incident is activated and the negative thoughts and feelings are automatic triggered. The symptoms may occur as affective/feeling, cognitive/thoughts, behavioural/patterns of motivational or somatic/physical symptoms.
Psychotherapy helps the client to explore the different components of this cycle, to challenge underlying beliefs and assumptions and to develop positive and rewarding coping strategies.
However, other factors such as medical and/ or psychiatric conditions, lack of certain nutrients, vitamins and minerals may also contribute to Depression. These factors need to be checked and treated as is indicated.
The most common symptoms of Depression are:
- An extreme sense of sadness ,
- A Sense of hopelessness and pessimism,
- Feeling less confidant,
- A strong sense of failure,
- Self-dislike and criticism,
- Feels being punished,
- Suicidal thoughts, feeling life is not worth living
- Loss of interest in previous pleasurable activities
- Problems with concentration and completing tasks
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation, restlessness,
- Weight loss or gain,
- Loss of energy and fatigue
- Sleep disturbance either insomnia or hypersomnia,
- Having feelings of guilt and bad conscience,
- Loss of interest in sex.
Treatment of Depression involves in short uncovering underlying beliefs and assumptions about self, others and live, the formulation of healthy realistic beliefs, by challenging the dysfunctional beliefs and changing unhelpful behaviour patterns