Positive Emotions in the Treatment of Depression - Article Example

Running Head: TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION Nurturing Positive Emotions in the Treatment of Depression School Nurturing Positive Emotions in the Treatment of Depression Walking your dog, cooking your favorite meal, listening to your favorite band—these are just some ways to make oneself happy. Despite these, depression still remains very common, especially among the adult population. This article talks about depression and its cure. Different approaches to depression are currently available, among which is anti-depressants. However, this solution can only offer immediate relief while putting the patient at risk for health problems caused by side effects of drugs. For this reason, many psychologists have resorted to nurturing positive emotions in the treatment of depression as it provides a natural way to treat the problem, leaving the patient unharmed and stable for a longer period. Positive emotions will surely help to get rid of depression without the side effects. This article offers five ways to nurture positive emotions. Be aware of your tendency to get depressed. The best way to cure depression is to know what triggers it. Depression is not a simple issue. It is a “serious mental illness that goes beyond the rational, everyday blues that all people experience” (Roach, n.d.). Depression can occur in very young people and elderly ones. Many teenagers experience depression due to disappointments in family, school, and relationships. Meanwhile, bereavement, illness, bankruptcy, failed relationship are just some reasons why adults suffer from depression. Depression is usually characterised by excessive weight loss, alcoholism especially among young adults, and verbal expressions of fear, hopelessness and uselessness (Miller 2009). However, this is not applicable in all cases, and because depression can lead to suicide, it is recommended to identify the onset of depression and do something about it. The problem may persist and make it difficult fr the person to recover if immediate relief is not given. Thus, the first thing that a person must do is to be aware of the circumstances or stimuli that could lead to depression. Interestingly, Brockmeyer et al. (2012) and Seidler, Banks, Dunn & Moulds (2013) explored the use of emotion regulation as a means to treat depression. They found out that mood of formerly depressed and non-depressed individuals can be regulated, making it possible not to make anti-depressants the first means to treat depression. Some people get depressed when they fail to do something. In such case, they need to plan ahead and beat the targets in order to avoid being depressed. Also, if Plan A does not work out, there should be a Plan B so there is an option if something does not turn out as expected. Some who tend to get depressed when they are isolated should avoid being alone. They should share room or flat with a friend, a sibling or a companion who knows their tendency to be depressed. If there is any activity that can make patients remember past failures or negative experiences, they should turn away from such activity. If illness is the problem, getting advice from a physician and eating the right diet is the key to a more positive outlook. Be hooked. Depression can also occur if the patient is bored. Boredom can lead one to think about life’s worries. Therefore, to avoid getting bored, one should always get hooked into doing something productive such as cross-stitching, gardening, painting, etc. Although these activities are too common and may not be easy for some, they may be worth trying. Caution should be taken if the patient gets more depressed by not being able to finish the project or not doing it as expected, he/she should stop at once and concentrate on something else. Also, the aim for doing something productive should not really be to produce because such could be disadvantageous if the person fails to do as expected. Instead of thinking of producing something, the person should think of the activity as something to enjoy. If the patient is not up for a productive hobby, he/she can try finding friends online. A lot of people nowadays enjoy logging in at social networking sites to find friends. Social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter allow people to express their mind over an issue or give comments on pictures of friends and family. Those sites are also a nice way to connect with old friends and classmates, new friends and relatives. Playing games on the computer, or just exercising in a gym could also work for patients to while away time and get over with boredom. These activities ensure that the patient will have no more time thinking of negative thoughts. Engaging in physically challenging activities such as rock climbing, kayaking, and so on can be an additional option. Likewise, attending a course that could make the person gain more personal or professional accomplishments can be beneficial. Stay healthy. Dealing with depression can be difficult if the person is unhealthy. Therefore, issues relating to health and safety should be managed, and health should be restored as early as possible. A sound body could promote a sound mind. People who suffer from hunger can also undergo depression so it is inevitable to ensure that the patient is physically healthy. Certain foods are said to lower the risk of depression but research has yet to prove their effectiveness. According to Kvist (n.d.), poor nutrition can contribute to depression. In her counseling practice, she noted that most of her depressed patients are on a low-calorie diet. The women she handled experienced depression and their non-fat or low-calorie diet did not help to ease the tension and lessen the depression. Based on this, she mentions that depressed individuals should not be under a low-calorie diet and planning nutrition is an important part of combatting depression. Another advice regarding eating healthy is to indulge on vegetables and fruits. These foods can help digestion and regulate the body’s system. Patients can grow and produce their own vegetables in their backyard so they can make sure to get away with pesticides and harmful chemicals that are usually found in commercially produced foods. In addition, they can make gardening a hobby and their produce would be the prize for their hard work. Avoid movies or television. Watching movies or television can add to depressing moods. First of all, melodramas could remind patients of negative experiences they had. Watching such should therefore be avoided. Although not all programs can cause patients to feel depressed, some which are funny could still bring back memories of a lost loved one so they should still be avoided. The best thing to do is to engage in social activities, those that ensure companionship and getting along with others. Second, most movies or TV programs could promote laziness or immobility. They are too comfortable to watch that people would prefer to watch the whole day than go out of their house. As such, they could confine people inside the house. When patients are immobile, they have a tendency to eat unhealthy foods, drink a lot of caffeinated drinks, and stay on a couch all day, thus forgetting to exercise and engage in social activities. If this happens, there will be more chances for them to get depressed as they turn away from friends and social crowds. Avoid daydreaming. Daydreaming could offer no relief to depressed patients. They may be a form of escape from the harshness of reality but their overall impact is not totally positive. Daydreaming is a form of cognitive activity that could be strenuous to the person, making it unhealthy. Depressed patients need to relax to release their anxiety. Therefore, they should minimize cognitive activity. According to Teasdale (1988), increased cognitive activity promotes the risk for depression. In particular, recalling important events and information is an important mental activity but thinking about the past as a way to regret past decisions and actions is not healthy. Likewise, planning about the future and thinking ahead are alright but setting expectations and dreaming of unattainable goals are not good and can impact one’s psychological well-being. In their study, Seidler, Banks, Dunn & Moulds (2013) explored the use of emotion regulation as a means to treat depression. They found out that regulating emotions can be done by formerly depressed individuals who are willing to avoid depression. Meantime, the study did not include patients with bi-polar spectrum disorders, thus ruling out the possibility of mood regulation by the said patients. Nevertheless, the practicality of emotion regulation should be given important consideration. Depressed patients should be taught how to perform this for their own benefit, especially if therapy is not available. Avoiding daydreaming is another way to say one should face reality and deal with it. Facing reality is the first step to overcoming problems. Although this act does not promote relieving stress, facing reality will lessen the stress especially when the problem is resolved. There are many ways to prevent depression but nurturing positive emotions may be the safest, most cost-efficient and reliable. Depression usually occurs when the person does things that worsen negative thoughts. Therefore, to avoid depression, people should stay away from the things that cause it such as excessive thinking, reminiscing past failures, and making too high expectations for the future. To ensure a healthy mind, people should identify what makes them feel depressed and avoid those things. They should also get hooked into a hobby, a project, or a support group that could prevent them from being isolated and idle. Moreover, they should also stay healthy. Good nutrition and meal planning could promote a healthier body, which in turn could promote a positive view of oneself. Furthermore, patients should avoid movies and sad memories and instead focus on the lighter side of life. Finally, they should stop daydreaming and start to face reality to get hold or be able to control their own thoughts and feelings. References Brockmeyer, T., Pfeiffer, N. Holtforth, M.G., Zimmermann, J., Kammerer, A., Friedrich, H. & Bents, H. (2012). Mood regulation and cognitive reactivity in depression vulnerability. Cognitive Therapy Research, Vol. 36: 634-642. Kvist, D. Foods that heal depression. Retrieved March 9, 2013 from Nutritional Weight and Wellness: http://www.weightandwellness.com/resources/articles-and-videos/brain-and-mental-health/foods-that-heal-depression Miller, C. (2009). Nursing for wellness in older adults. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Roach, D. (n.d.). Understanding symptoms of depression. Retrieved March 8, 2013 from Subject Wise: http://subject-wise.com/results.php?ns=how%20to%20treat%20depression&rdw=b&net=340f&rid=795092&subid=sd1&adid=969890568&searchterm=symptoms+of+depression Seidler, A., Banks, R., Dunn, B. & Moulds, M. (2013). An investigation on the relationship between positive affect regulation and depression. Behavior Research Therapy, Vol.51: 46-56. Teasdale, J. D. (1988). Cognitive vulnerability to persistent depression. Cognition and Emotion. Vol. 2: 247-274. Read More