Is it better to take medicine or not to take medicine if you have depression? Psychologists give "reassurance"
Recently, we received a private message from a friend: Are there any side effects of depression medications? If you eat it, you will become stupid. I took antidepressant medication, but my spirit was still very sluggish, and I had no energy. Is it better to take medicine to treat depression or not to take medicine? Today, our psychologists will discuss this issue with you.
A few days ago, the news that the prevalence of depression in Shanghai reached 11.8% ranked first in the country caused heated discussions on the Internet, and we often heard that there were cases of college entrance examination students jumping off a building because of unsatisfactory grades, or postpartum depression after giving birth. Generally speaking, depression is characterized by three main symptoms, mainly depressed mood, slow thinking, and decreased volitional activity. Depression has a gradual development trend, mild depression can also develop into moderate or severe depression, is it better to take medicine for treatment, or not to take medicine? We should pay enough attention to it.
Mild depression generally does not require medication
In fact, there are several times in everyone's life when they are in a bad mood and can't do things to lift their spirits. How can you tell if you're depressed? We can first do a depression self-rating scale. (Self-rating depression scale, SDS). This self-rating scale contains a total of 20 items and is scored on a 4-point scale. It is very easy to use and can fairly intuitively reflect the subjective feelings of depression and the changes in treatment in the past week.
According to the Chinese norm results, the cut-off value of SDS standard score is 53 points, of which 53-62 is mild depression, 63-72 is moderate depression, and 72 points or more is severe depression. If the scale shows mild depression, we don't need to take medicine at first, and we can use some adjustment methods. For example, you can appropriately reduce the pressure of work and study, or go out to exercise and bask in the sun, have more contact with outsiders, chat with friends, or take a trip that you can just go.
In addition, according to the principle of "medicine and food homology", depressed people should pay attention to their usual diet and eat more foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and nuts; At the same time, it can increase vegetables and fruits rich in dietary fiber to supplement B vitamins, which also has a positive effect on alleviating depression.
Moderate to severe depression attempts to build up their minds
If you are moderately or severely depressed, and you feel that your depression is still not relieved after taking medicine, you can find a professional psychological counselor for psychological treatment, or go to a depression rehabilitation center to try to rebuild your psychology.
Clinical trials have proven that meditation can be effective in alleviating mental illness, including depression. Meditation originated in ancient Eastern civilizations as a way to achieve inner peace and self-knowledge by focusing on the present moment and reducing the fluctuations of thoughts and emotions. By focusing your attention, feeling each breath and regaining a sense of control over your body and mind, you can improve self-awareness, well-being, and spirituality.
A patient shared his recovery experience, he said that after taking seven or eight antidepressants, his condition still recurred. Later he figured it out. Just like the words of Mr. Li Hongfu's book "Depression Check-in Self-help", "no confrontation, no rejection".
In the face of current problems, pains, and symptoms, don't confront them, don't reject them, don't pay attention, entangle or solve them, in the final analysis, it's all about "leaving it alone". Just do what you have to do, eat, play, sleep. He followed the Anapana method of "Depression Check-in Self-Help" by Mr. Li Hongfu for a period of time and gained a lot.
The patient said that this is a method of purifying the mind from Vipassana meditation, and through professional and continuous practice, combined with vow practice therapy, purification practice and other therapies, the body and mind are slowly transformed, and the quagmire of depression is gradually removed.
Relax your mind and live a sunny life
Depression is scary, and worrying doesn't solve anything. If we become strong and drive away the negative attitude of depression, the world will become full of sunshine.
(I recommend depressed friends to read two books, "Depression Check-in Self-Help" and "Emotional Self-Help", I believe that the methods in the book will be of good help to you.) ）
Yu Minhong, chairman of New Oriental Education and Technology Group, once said in an interview that he had suffered from severe depression. He revealed that he had eaten more than 3,000 sleeping pills in 15 years.
In the eyes of others, he seems to have wealth and great success, and depression does not intersect with him. But once on a business trip to Canada, he looked at the open window on the 20th floor, and he wanted to jump. But he told himself he couldn't jump because he thought about his family, his children, and so many employees. So he decided to put on a down jacket and walk for 4 hours on the street at minus 30 degrees. The next day, he told himself that he was already like this when he was at a low point, and that it was a big deal to go back to the countryside later. A good attitude helped Yu Minhong get out of the trough, actively respond to challenges, and return to the peak of his career.
As the old saying goes: "Everything should go with the flow, be calm in the face of things, be indifferent when you are proud, calm when you are frustrated, and be sure of hardships and twists and turns, and go through all the vicissitudes of life." ”
From now on, throw away the habit of nostalgia, don't get entangled, don't worry about the past, and don't worry about what won't happen tomorrow, such as "What should I do if my child can't get into college?" "What should I do when I have nothing to rely on in the future", don't let yourself add to your troubles. Let life be more experienced, and even if you fail, you can start again.
Look at yourself from multiple angles, look down on everything with an indifferent heart, grasp every day of the moment, tap your own advantages, and always believe in yourself; Affirm yourself. According to the heart, only ask about the hard work and do not ask about the harvest, and you can enjoy a happy life.