There is so much written about depression, some of it accurate and some not, that I thought I’d talk about the 3 most common myths about depression.
Myth # 1: If you’ve been diagnosed with depression, you’re stuck with it.
This is absolutely false. First of all, it depends on what your diagnosis is. If you’ve been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) that is a different type of illness from what is commonly known as depression.
If you have a diagnosis of depression, or if you simply feel depressed a lot of the time, you are not stuck with it. There are many things that affect mood, most notably diet and exercise.
When you exercise, endorphins, the “feel good” hormones, are released into the blood stream, and act as a natural anti-depressant. Similarly, if you have a diet heavy with sugar and complex carbs, your moods can be spiked many times a day, so it can feel as if you’re on an emotional roller coaster. I always recommend diet and exercise as the first line of defense.
Myth # 2: Therapy doesn’t really work for depression.
This is another statement that I can categorically deny, and I do not mean this to be self-serving. It is simply my experience working with hundreds of depressed people over many years.
In particular, there have been many rigorous studies that have focused on evidenced-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. These studies show that depressive episodes are radically reduced after even a few months of therapy.
Basically, in both CBT and MBCT you’re asked to first recognize, then challenge the negative beliefs you have about yourself. It’s the negative messages you’re telling yourself about yourself that are really making you feel bad.
For example, if you lose your job, that’s bad enough. But if you tell yourself that you’re totally inadequate and no one will ever hire you again, that’s likely to spiral some people into depression. So first you’re asked to begin to recognize your negative thoughts as simply thoughts, then to enquire within yourself, what is actually true in this situation? Maybe you made some mistakes, but that’s a far cry from believing that no one will ever hire you again.
When you can begin to disengage from your negatives beliefs about yourself, its usually experienced as a huge relief. Depression can lift relatively quickly when you can align your beliefs with what’s actually true.
Myth # 3: Anti depression medications are for people who are crazy and suicidal.
I for one do not believe that everyone who suffers from depression needs medication, not by a long shot. But if you’ve tried exercise, diet and therapy and still find no relief you might want to get evaluated for medication by a psychiatrist.
This does not mean you’re crazy. It simply means that you don’t have to suffer from the often debilitating symptoms of depression. If you were living 50 years ago you wouldn’t have this option but now you do. Medication can work like magic for some people and for others, less so. But if you’ve tried everything else and continue to suffer, I usually suggest talking to a psychiatrist to explore taking medication.
Clients who I treat for depression often ask if I think they need meds. It’s rarely a question of need, unless you’re suicidal. In all other cases, it’s the individual’s decision based on the quality of life they want to have. Ultimately, no one can make that decision but you.
Also, research has shown that the therapies mentioned above, together with taking medication, have a 50 % more chance of relieving symptoms of depression than either one of these alone. But again, it’s an individual decision.
So to recap, if you’re depressed it’s not a life sentence, therapy definitely helps alleviate depression, and whether or not you want to take medication if you’re suffering is a totally individual decision.
Hope this helps to debunk some myths about depression.