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If you are thinking about suicide or can't function because you are so depressed, please get professional help! Getting help is the hardest part, but it is necessary because you CAN get better. If you are suicidal, there are crisis lines in the phonebook you can call. Click here to read about finding a therapist. Cognitive Therapy is considered one of the most helpful psychotherapies in treating depression. It was developed by Aaron T. Beck, M.D. My favorite book on the subject is Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns, M.D. It is based on the theory that depression is caused by the way we think about things. Often our minds have Cognitive Distortions which make us think things are a lot worse than they really are. By recognizing distortions in our thinking and beliefs, we can replace them with more realistic self-talk. Support groups for women and/or people with depression are available. It can be helpful to talk to others about our problems and sisterhood is powerful. Ask your counselor or look at message boards or your local newspaper to locate a support group near you. There are even some online support groups for those in more remote areas. A big obstacle with depression is what Dr. Burns (Ibid.) calls Do-Nothingism. It's natural for depressed people to decrease their activity level--sometimes severely, but activity can help us feel better. If you are a homemaker or a student, your days can deteriorate into huge spans of television watching and procrastination. Even if you work a lot of hours outside the home, you might find yourself spending all your free time doing nothing much. It's good to make up a schedule for your days including things you need to do like washing your hair, doing the laundry and keeping appointments. Equally important is to include activities that you might enjoy. Unfortunately when you're depressed, you don't think you will enjoy anything. But take the time to cook yourself a nice dinner, go to the movies, pick up an old hobby, or talk on the phone with a friend. What activities did you used to enjoy? Even if you are pretty busy, making time for these types of diversions will help you put some joy back in your life. |