Dean Health Plan : Newsletters

Break the Cycle of Depression
It’s easy to feel hopeless in the face of depression—feeling hopeless is one of the main symptoms of the illness. Yet depression is not a hopeless disease. The majority of people who seek treatment recover quickly.

In this article, Lisa, age 39, and Kathi, age 34, share their experiences with depression. They talk about how they got medical treatment and how they learned skills to help keep depression under control. If you suffer from depression, their stories may help you see that there is hope for your happiness.

In the Beginning
I realized I had depression when I was in college. I shared an apartment with several other students, and I felt unable to deal with living with other people. One day I found myself in the bathroom clutching a handful of pills. I recognized that I just didn’t want to be alive anymore. This finally convinced me to get help, so I called my father and he helped me find a therapist. —Lisa

“Things tend to get really bad before people with depression seek help,” says Deborah Levesque, Ph.D., a psychologist and researcher for Pro-Change Behavior Systems, a health behavior-change company located at the University of Rhode Island. “In fact, only 25 percent of people with depression are doing something about it,” she says. The irony of depression is that the disease itself can make it difficult to take steps toward feeling better. Depression distorts your thinking and can make you feel like a failure for needing help. It steals your ambition, your energy, and your ability to act. Yet depression can be treated successfully in most cases.

Learn Self-Compassion
When you’re feeling depressed, asking for help feels like a sign of failure. But when you go to the doctor’s office and you see people of different genders and professions, you realize you are not alone. It’s OK to get help. —Kathi

Admitting that you have depression and need help is an important first step toward getting better. Levesque says, “The compassionate approach to depression is knowing that you deserve to take care of yourself.” It’s important to know that depression will not go away on its own. In fact, it often gets worse. So if you are depressed, the first thing you should do is seek help from your doctor. Treatment often requires medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two. Lisa and Kathi both have a chemical imbalance that makes them prone to depression. Medication has helped a lot.

“When I take medication, it’s like somebody turned the light on. It’s like a person with diabetes needing insulin to restore their chemical balance,” Kathi says. “With medication, I feel like a normal person with a normal range of emotions,” Lisa says. Both women have also benefited from psychotherapy. “It’s helpful for me to talk with a counselor—someone who’s not judgmental and who validates my feelings,” Kathi says.

In addition to talking with your doctor, be sure to check your health plan benefits to see what kind of mental health coverage you have. If you have coverage, your doctor or Dean Health Plan’s Customer Service Department can help you find a mental health provider near you.

Know the Signs
It isn’t always easy to know if you are depressed. Below are questions that indicate symptoms of depression. If you answer yes to three or more of these questions, and have felt this way for two weeks or more, you may be depressed and should see your doctor.

Do you feel sad or anxious on most days?
Have you lost interest in activities you once enjoyed?
Have you lost or gained weight?
Do you sleep too much or too little?
Do you often feel tired or physically slowed down?
Do you often feel worthless, hopeless, or guilty?
Do you often feel irritable or restless?
Do you often have trouble concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things?
Do you often have headaches, digestive problems, or chronic pain that doesn’t respond to treatment?
Do you have thoughts of suicide or death? If so, tell your doctor or someone you trust right away.

Take an Active Approach
Getting treatment is a vital part of recovering from depression. You’ll also find it helpful to learn skills that can help speed your recovery. These skills can also help you cope with or prevent a recurrence of depression and give you a sense of control over the illness. Both Lisa and Kathi know the importance of taking steps on their own to control depression. Here are some suggestions.

Control your environment. Pay attention to what triggers depression for you. It could be certain people, situations, or a combination of factors. Once you know what things put you at risk, try to avoid or minimize your exposure to them.

For example, Kathi’s youngest daughter is about to enter first grade. Realizing that this will give her days less structure and put her at risk for depression, Kathi has decided to go back to school herself.

Learn healthy ways to reduce stress. You can’t always avoid stressful situations. But you can find healthy ways to reduce or manage stress. Don’t rely on unhealthy habits, such as overeating or drinking alcohol. Instead, spend time with people you love. Learn relaxation techniques, such as deep-breathing exercises or yoga. Kathi enjoys yoga classes. “It’s a wonderful outlet because it combines movement and meditation. It also allows you to explore your spirituality.”

Get regular exercise. There has been a great deal of research showing that physical activity—especially when highly aerobic—can help improve your mood, relieve anxiety, and heighten self-esteem. Regular exercise can be a key component of your recovery. If you are having trouble fitting in fitness, see “Take the First Step.”

Listen to compliments. Other people often see your talents even if you can’t. It’s not unusual to brush off compliments, but try to take them to heart. When someone admires you, take a breath, smile, and say thank you. Allowing yourself to enjoy the moment will help you remember it. Then you can recall it later when you need a boost.

Lisa’s friends, family, and coworkers have helped her see her own value. Years ago, Lisa had a manager who often praised her. This positive mentor helped Lisa see herself as successful. Now, when she has doubts, she counters self-defeating thoughts by remembering this positive feedback.

Seek Support
Getting help early on makes treating depression easier. If you’re reluctant to make an appointment to see your doctor, try writing down the pros and cons of seeking help. Or talk with a close friend about your hesitation. You may find that your concerns aren’t as difficult as you thought. Here is an example:

Con: I don’t have time. It’s inconvenient.
Pro: My family can stop worrying about me, and I’ll feel better.

Small Steps, Positive Changes
Sometimes it’s OK to be depressed. It makes me ask myself, What is upsetting me? How can I get past this? How can I change it? I think in some ways I’m better off than people who don’t look inward and just sort of coast through life. This has forced me to do more spiritual work. The fact is, if you don’t have downs, you don’t have ups. —Kathi

“Any progress is good when you’re trying to overcome depression,” Levesque says. Because the symptoms of depression block positive change, a seemingly small step—such as thinking about why you feel bad—is a huge step in the right direction.

Levesque recommends congratulating yourself any time you take a positive step. “Identify your successes,” she says. It’s important to recognize that you are making positive changes.

Positive Practice Everyone has negative thoughts at some point. If you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, write them down and ask yourself how realistic they are. Next, counter your negative thought with a positive statement. Here are a few examples.
Negative Thought:	Counter With:
“I’m a failure.”	“I do many things well.”
“She hates me.”	“She’s disappointed.”
“I’ll never get this right.”	“I am making progress.”