Psychologist: people with depression should not take medicine right away; there are other effective ways to recover

Medicines are more frequently offered to a person suffering from depression in Lithuania, and other possibilities for assistance are neglected, psychologist Aušra Mockuvienė, founder of the Depression Treatment Center, said in a press release.

The psychologist who researches so-called self-help methods says that although we know little about them in Lithuania, the scientific community has had no doubts about their effectiveness for a long time. In addition, the forms of self-help are simple and accessible to all, but their proper evaluation is hampered by the popular misconception in Lithuania that a person’s illness is not so much a problem for himself, but rather for the doctor.

– Self-help is a word that is rarely found in Lithuania. Who can help and how?

– Simply put, these are ways to take care of yourself, live healthier, empower yourself. For example, self-help includes physical activity, a healthy and balanced diet, quality sleep, communication, and phototherapy. Numerous studies have shown its effectiveness in treating mild and severe depression.

However, there is a great lack of understanding that depression does not happen without a reason. Even if a person does not take care of himself at all, works long hours, does not rest, does not sleep, does not watch what he eats, drinks alcohol, he often does not associate this way of life with depression. Of course, there are also cases of clinical depression with physiological causes, but even in such cases, the way we live affects our physiology and condition, and if we adjust our choices, change a faulty lifestyle, it will have a positive effect on our well-being. . Man is certainly not powerless. He is the first and foremost responsible for his own life and decisions, and even the desire to recover must come first from ourselves: the doctor will not get out of bed or go to bed on time.

– Why is it important to talk about self-help in the context of treating depression?

– When I started working with people with depression, I came across the painful reality of Lithuania. For many patients, access to care is very limited: medicines are readily available, in more serious cases a hospital, and treatment is only available to a small number because it is not cheap, the number of specialists and places in clinics it is very limited and in smaller cities there is sometimes no access to a therapist. This is how I started to think of simple and universal healthy lifestyles that everyone could apply on a daily basis. However, there is practically no knowledge about it in Lithuania, and many people with depression still feel that they do not need help at all or, on the contrary, feel very helpless. She thinks that nothing alone can do anything and that the doctor has to cure her. Both approaches interfere with understanding how helpful self-help can be. It can greatly expand and complement your choice of support options.

Also, it should be understood that if a person takes medication, his condition becomes dependent on an external factor, that is, the substance he receives. This method does not empower a person, or they get that substance or not. Its state control in this case is external. Although a person understands which decisions in daily life positively affect his state, he gains a sense of control, knowing that it is he who can influence the state.

– You mentioned the scientific justification for the effectiveness of self-help methods. Is it possible to specify how effective it is?

– In the USA, for example, various self-help groups were studied, and participants met regularly for 3 months to listen to lectures and had to try different ways of helping themselves with homework. The effectiveness of this program was found to be as high as 60-70%. – Both participants experienced significant improvement at the end of the program or no longer met the symptoms of clinical depression with which the program began. Even when evaluating continuity after another 3 months after the end of the program and after one year, the positive impact was still quite pronounced.

I have led a similar group myself and have had many opportunities to see first-hand how important it is for a depressed person not to be left alone, to receive help both from the structure of the course and from the people involved who are experiencing similar difficulties. Trying to defeat them together motivates, supports to act, as if creating the effect of a fast-flowing, advancing river, even if the forces themselves continue to disintegrate.

– How do you respond to criticism that you offer to a person with depression something that they are not capable of doing, such as sports and communication?

– Such surprises also happen among professionals. A lecture on depression and ways to help overcome it was very memorable. The speaker, who had just read a report on new antidepressants, was asked: “I have heard that sport can be very helpful for people with depression. What do you think about that? “The speaker enthusiastically confirmed that this has been thoroughly researched and there is no doubt that physical activity is very helpful; the results are just fantastic. But, the speaker summarized, won’t someone with depression play sports? So, We prescribe medications. This amazed me, still today I am convinced that a person with depression can exercise. I understand that I may not want anything when I am sick, but I firmly believe that it is possible to empower a person by offering a system that accompanies, structure, motivates and gently leads the way of healing.

That’s why we created the online self-help program “No Depression”. We wanted structured, scientific, supportive and motivational information on how to help yourself to be available to the widest possible circle of people. We believe that it is possible to find a way to motivate and allow at least some of the people experiencing depressive symptoms to help themselves, just to do so.

– If in most cases a person can help themselves, what roles do you think mental health professionals should have in this self-help process?

– A person in difficulties can always do something to help himself. But don’t be fooled, it won’t always be enough and not for everyone. When the conditions are serious, the help of various specialists is necessary.

An important part of being a specialist is education, information, because again, to help myself, I need to know what is science-based, what techniques will help me, and how to use them correctly. After all, we all know that physical activity is healthy for us, but what exactly is needed for depression? Let’s say that three brisk half-hour walks a week have been shown to work the same way as antidepressants.

Another thing is that a specialist can help a person to come out of impotence and omnipotence. It happens that people who have suffered for many years turn for help and who either thought that they could not change anything or were convinced that they had to face everything on their own. It is important to understand that no one can do everything, sometimes you just need professional help.

– Is self-help needed for all people with depression?

– It is not uncommon for a person to start taking medication to put all their hopes on recovery and no longer make any changes, but antidepressants do not work for some patients. That is why we are increasingly talking to psychiatrists about the importance of providing comprehensive and comprehensive care that includes self-help methods.

At present, psychiatry and medicine in Lithuania are mainly focused on the elimination of symptoms, rather than a complex solution to the problem. I immediately remember a young girl, scared and confused, who was told by the doctor that she would not do it without medication and without further suggestions, he did not give her any information. Or a boy who has been depressed since age 13, but only at age 23 heard for the first time that it was worth trying to go to therapy; for a decade he had only heard suggestions to take various medications and no more alternatives. Unfortunately, people with depression often hear about therapy or other means, near or instead of medication, from acquaintances or relatives, but not from psychiatric professionals. And when the doctor thinks that the patient has to obey him and follow the instructions without asking questions, in the long run and the patient gets used to thinking that, we have a lot of learned helplessness and a very inefficient system. However, my vision is completely different: I want to invite people to take an interest in their health, well-being and how they can improve it.

In my opinion, help is available and necessary for everyone, but if self-help alone can be sufficient to overcome mild symptoms of depression, then a person in difficult condition may need specialized help first. In such cases, I recommend contacting a mental health professional first, and once the condition has stabilized, as more internal resources become available, you will be able to see what else you can do to speed up the healing process.

I often hear words from clients that I can’t, I don’t teach, I don’t have time. Of course, completely opposite reactions also occur. One woman’s determination was very memorable – the weather was nasty, cold, and wet, but I want to feel good, so I definitely found a way to move, even if you just need to jump at home with the music on. And now we will soon have a cold time of year, we will not want to be outdoors much, so if there is no opportunity to walk, go to work on foot, I want to point out that exercise is still possible in various ways, from a simulator at home even a simple dance with music.