Treating depression without antidepressants

Treatment of depression in Moscow

Treatment for depression is determined by whether it is endogenous (genetically determined - drug treatment is used) or psychogenic (a reaction to stress - psychotherapy or combination treatment is used).

Psychotherapy and combined treatment (psychotherapy + medications)

Duration of the initial appointment - 1.5 hours:

Making an accurate diagnosis:

• determining the treatment plan;
• choice of medications (if necessary);
• beginning of psychotherapy.

Repeated appointment - 1 hour:

• psychotherapeutic session;
• assessment of state change;
• changing your medication regimen (if necessary).

Drug treatment

It is of decisive importance in endogenous depression.

Initial appointment (1.5 hours) includes:

• Making an accurate diagnosis;
• determining the treatment plan;
• choice of medications (if necessary).

Repeated appointment – ​​30 min:

assessment of state change;

• changing your medication regimen (if necessary).

Causes and symptoms

There are endogenous and psychogenic depression.

Endogenous depression is associated with genes that are inherited. If you have a relative who has depression, you are more likely to have it. Moreover, you could receive such genes from distant ancestors.

Reactive depression (depressive neurosis) - develops immediately after stress, the patient is fixated on it, because of this, the mood is reduced.

The choice of treatment method for depressive disorder is determined depending on its type: with psychogenic depression, psychotherapy is very important, and with endogenous depression, the use of antidepressants comes first.

Classification of depression The choice of treatment method for depressive disorder is determined depending on its type: with psychogenic depression, psychotherapy is very important, and with endogenous depression, the use of antidepressants comes first.

In addition to dividing depression into endogenous and reactive, there are specific types of depression.

Bipolar disorder (“manic-depressive psychosis”) - episodes of disorders are replaced by episodes of mania (increased mood, performance).

Dysthymia is a variant of the disorder, expressed to a lesser extent (primarily by irritability).

Somatized (massed, larved) depression - pain predominates (in the head, heart, ventricle) and fluctuations in blood pressure, constipation in the absence of physical illness. Characterized by dry mouth and dilated pupils.

Postpartum depression in women who have recently given birth. Often it is caused by the difficulty of getting used to new responsibilities, stress, unpreparedness for the role of a mother, and changes in hormonal levels.

Signs that it's time for you to get help

Luckily, our body sends us signs when we've been neglecting our needs for too long. When the lack of psychological or self-help becomes critical, we may begin to experience the following:

• lack of energy;
• fatigue;
• unexplained physical pain;
• unexplained weight gain/loss;
• extreme stress, anger, or irritability;
• difficulty managing feelings;
• difficulty remembering or concentrating;
• panic attacks;
• poor sense of time;
• desire to spend more time alone.

As we can see, many of the consequences of psychological problems and lack of self-care or psychotherapy overlap or intensify the symptoms of depression. This is why it is so important for people with depression to take time to help themselves. It is much more difficult to pull yourself out of depression when your daily life feels like running in circles, with no time for your own health.

Is it possible to fight on your own?

In the case of endogenous depression, it is almost impossible to independently choose an antidepressant that is right for you. Therefore, be sure to consult a psychotherapist.

In the case of reactive depression, psychotherapy allows you to get rid of it faster. At the same time, many people can cope with stress on their own sooner or later.

• Find out about the treatment of depressive disorders on our website. Note the symptoms you have.
• Contact a specialist - a psychotherapist. It will help make a diagnosis, determine the type of disorder and how to deal with it
• Talk to your loved ones - they will support you and help you find a specialist

PROGRAM FOR OUT OF DEPRESSION BY A PSYCHOTHERAPIST WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

Richard O'Connor, in addition to being a certified specialist in psychiatry, is also the author of many books that have become very popular due to their content and ease of understanding. They talk about many useful things: how to get rid of bad habits, how to become happy and how to get out of depression.

The psychotherapist considers depression not only a mental illness, but also a serious social problem. It should be treated by a specialist, relying on drug therapy and psychotherapy. But professional help is often not enough, since there is always a risk of relapse. An independent way out of depression, the 12 basic principles of which were formulated by O'Connor, will allow you to avoid it. They echo what was said above.

He writes that depression forces a person to think and behave in a certain way, and these become his inalienable habits. They are the ones who dictate an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior. But you can change your thinking, set it on a different course, change your life in a more constructive direction.

So, here are the principles that you need to follow to get out of depression on your own:

1. Don’t avoid expressing feelings, experience them. A person suffering from depression creates a defense mechanism to isolate himself from disturbing emotions, including both unpleasant and pleasant ones. This deprives the individual of important life information - such anesthesia leads to the development of despondency and aggravation of the situation.

Experiencing emotions and expressing them are two different things: we cannot control the first, but we can and should control the second. You can't be sure you need to feel a certain way, because it destroys your personality.

Therefore, you should not be afraid of feelings, because both strong sadness and joy pass very quickly. A person is like a buoy: our emotions are constantly balancing, but eventually stabilize. So you shouldn’t suppress them: crying, laughing, defending your opinion, etc. will improve the condition. You just need to show them where you are understood, and you will certainly find support.

2. Look for the reason. The mood changes for a reason - there is a reason for it and it needs to be identified. If this is difficult to do, it may be advisable to keep a journal and record the events leading up to the episode of depression. Thanks to this, it will be possible to accurately identify the “culprit”. This could be a difficult conversation, a dream, something heard or read, a memory, etc.

Knowing what causes you to feel sad helps you overcome depression. Now the situation can be avoided or changed, and if both fail, then it is better to come to terms with it and not take it too seriously.

3. Practice mindfulness meditation regularly. This will rewire the brain, give you the opportunity to focus on yourself and eliminate obsessive anxiety. Mastering the skills of conscious living, not judging everything in black and white, accepting the world without distortion, not trying to control what is impossible, and enjoying every day is not easy, but it is quite possible.

Repeat the mantra (can be replaced with the phrase) “Lord, give me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, give me the courage to change what I can change, and give me the wisdom to distinguish one from the other” - and everything will work out!

4. Exercise regularly. The brain stores a person's experience, and it changes chemically, electrically, and structurally with every thought, experience, and feeling. Depression damages it by remembering depressive habits. But we are able to create new awareness, “build” other, positive skills, point of view and feelings, thereby improving the brain.

5. Get rid of depressive thinking. Avoid pessimism, blaming yourself for all sins and negative coincidences. Change your way of thinking, bad habits, become confident in your abilities. Keep a diary of dysfunctional thoughts to get rid of them, drive out the inner critic.

6. Get your priorities right. Doing things that are unimportant and uninteresting to you leads to depression. Define values ​​for yourself and strictly follow them, even making an effort. Don’t follow bad habits, don’t let others interfere in your life, strengthen your character.

7. Love yourself. Learn to be proud of yourself - it gives pleasure and a feeling of happiness. Write down your achievements and good deeds in a notebook, whatever they may be - spontaneous or a set task. It is usually quite difficult for a person to feel proud of himself, but such discomfort can be quickly overcome.

Small joys are very important: delicious food, a pleasant smell, a comfortable chair, etc. Just pay mindless attention to them - the main thing here is the sensations.

You need to learn to relax. Yoga, dancing, singing in a choir, swimming, aerobics will help with this.

Eat well, take care of your body and health, do not smoke or drink alcohol.

8. Be direct. To be understood correctly, you need to express your desires to your loved one. The language must be unambiguous: what you say and how you say it must match.

Depressed people, as a rule, think that they are not understood, that they are tongue-tied, prefer not to continue the conversation, become silent, and withdraw into themselves. However, if you cannot express your thought, it is better to pause, concentrate, and even ask your interlocutor to ask questions.

In turn, you should listen carefully to what they tell you and ask again for a better understanding.

Communicate more, smile at people, be friendly. It has been proven that extroverts are happy.

9. Find a hero. You need to identify a role model for yourself. This could be someone whom everyone respects for his kindness, courage, self-sacrifice. Such a person can be among both those living and those who have passed away. Of course, he definitely has some shortcomings, but they deserve admiration for their actions.

Try to be like this person and thereby you will begin to respect yourself.

10. Be generous. Of course, it is impossible to find a way out of depression by simply distributing money, showing participation and sympathy. But an outstretched helping hand to another person in need of funds will help get rid of the disorder. If you don’t have the opportunity to do charity work, then you can become a volunteer.

The habit of generosity will break through self-isolation and make you respect and feel better about yourself.

11. Don’t be afraid of intimacy, open up to your loved one. Intimacy opens you up more to him, he gets to know your doubts, secret fears, shameful secrets. This gives birth to harmony in the couple - there is nothing secret anymore, the masks are removed and you are loved for who you really are.

12. Ask for help in a timely manner. Learn to understand the signs that precede a depressive episode. The “bell” may be discomfort in the stomach, irritability, or a lump in the throat. Each person has a different signal, and if you notice it, then immediately, without delay, contact a specialist. Sometimes just one visit to a therapist can prevent a serious relapse.

Take medications prescribed by your doctor - this is not a sign of weakness, but a guarantee that nothing bad will happen.

Attend support groups and give your loved ones instructions in case you get really sick.

Shame to seek help is a symptom of depression and needs to be addressed.

Of course, as Richard O'Connor argues, it is very difficult to live exactly according to these principles. Yes, and they are not easy to master. These new skills need to be constantly practiced, but this requires your great desire to overcome depression.

It will take patience, time, and a lot of work on yourself, which will be accompanied by discomfort and anxiety. But gradually new habits will become commonplace, and then recovery will come.

How depression is treated in our clinic

In the first session (lasting 1.5 hours), we discuss in detail the symptoms and how the patient’s condition developed. This makes it possible to determine whether depression is endogenous or reactive and, depending on this, to develop treatment tactics.

For endogenous depression, we select an antidepressant and other medications based on the individual characteristics of the manifestations of the disease. In the future, we monitor how the condition changes while taking medications and, if necessary, adjust their dose or change medications in order to find a stable regimen for taking them. Sometimes the patient undergoes psychotherapy because... he experiences experiences that need psychological processing.

With reactive depression, starting from session 2, the psychotherapist gradually works through the stressful situation that caused the depressive reaction. In this case, various psychotherapeutic approaches are used, based on the characteristics of the situation and the client.

Antidepressant addiction – myth or truth?

It is impossible to say unequivocally that drugs for depression are evil. But also the fact that they are absolutely harmless. Medicine does not stand still, just like pharmacology. Medicines are constantly being improved and improved. Today, those medications that caused drug addiction and posed a real threat to health due to side effects are long gone. The latest generation of drugs is much safer than their predecessors.

In some cases, patients have to take medications for years, not because they become dependent, but because the treatment plan and indications require it. However, most often, when contacting specialists at an early stage of the disease, the use of drugs is not required, or a short course of treatment is required. The dosage is gradually reduced, which prevents the development of drug dependence. A person gradually gets used to living without medications.

However, the truth is that while most of these pills are banned from over-the-counter sales, some people circumvent the law and purchase them illegally. Why is this being done? The fact is that some drugs, when overdosed and used for a long time, can still be addictive. Some of the most common over-the-counter drugs include Lyrica and Fluoxetine (Prozac). When used for other purposes, for recreational purposes, the drugs can cause addiction, which can only be gotten rid of with the help of a narcologist.

You should not self-medicate, increase the duration of use and dose, this can lead to undesirable consequences and side effects. If you feel you cannot stop taking the drug, call your doctor. He can help you get rid of your addiction.

Popular questions from patients suffering from depressive disorder

Is it possible to be cured completely?

A cure is almost always possible

Is it possible to cure depression forever?

Unfortunately, no one can guarantee that another episode of endogenous depression will not occur in the future or that stress will not cause reactive depression in you. But each episode of the disease can be cured as quickly as possible.

Does taking an antidepressant guarantee recovery?

With endogenous depression, the selection of antidepressants is very individual and it may take time to find the drug that is right for you, after which recovery will definitely come. For reactive depression, an antidepressant will not be effective.

Is treatment possible without antidepressants?

Reactive depression can be treated without antidepressants, whereas with endogenous depression, the use of antidepressants is a prerequisite for recovery.

Are antidepressants addictive?

Antidepressants are not addictive, but if they are stopped prematurely, the disease may worsen

Causes and symptoms

The reasons for the development of this disease can be regular stress, psychological trauma, various unpleasant situations and events, problems in relationships with loved ones, the opposite sex, psychological violence in childhood or adulthood. However, such a deviation in the psycho-emotional state is not only a consequence of injuries, it is also various changes at the physical level. In particular, patients have a lack of vitamin D, iron and some other microelements and biologically active substances.

In addition, the development of the disease is largely influenced by hormonal disorders and diseases of the endocrine system. Quite rarely, the disorder occurs as a side effect of taking medications, but this is usually prescribed in the instructions. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a lack of sun; in the fall and spring, many people experience exacerbation of mental disorders.

Rehabilitation after depression

If the patient experienced depression for a long time, he could develop “neurotic personality development” - a desire to avoid stressful situations, a refusal to take active steps to achieve goals.

How to learn to live life to the fullest again?

• Do something. Any activity will help support your will and self-confidence;
• Ideas like “I’m not capable of anything,” “I’m worthless,” “I can’t change anything” lead to refusal to take any action. To overcome them, you need to regularly set yourself a small, realistic goal and achieve it. Gradually, self-confidence will return;

Often the problem lies in a distorted perception of events, a false sense of guilt for them. Try making a list of negative thoughts and next to each thought write a possible alternative explanation for what is happening

How dangerous are antidepressants for the human body?

Are antidepressants dangerous to your health? People are as afraid of these drugs as they are of antibiotics. There are many myths around these medications. How dangerous are antidepressants really? First of all, you should understand that no doctor will prescribe you a potent drug without indications for it.

Modern medicines have a rather gentle effect on the human body, bringing great benefits to patients and bringing them closer to recovery much faster. The drugs affect the production of necessary neurotransmitters and compensate for the lack of serotonin and endorphins. As a result, within a couple of weeks the patient begins to feel many times better than before the start of therapy.

However, the positive effect of the tablets does not occur immediately; over the course of several weeks, the human body adapts, which is why some side effects occur. They often cause patients to stop taking medications because they feel like their condition is only getting worse. However, you should be prepared for the fact that these are not magic pills that will help you get rid of a serious illness overnight. Most medications have a cumulative effect.

A competent specialist knows in what dosages a particular drug should be taken. Most often, the dose is increased gradually, as the body gets used to it, which is why at the beginning of taking it the expected effect will be absent. It is important for patients to stay in touch with their doctor to inform him of any changes. If your health condition worsens, tell your doctor. If you follow the recommendations, the medications will only bring benefits and a significant improvement in your well-being.