The most effective way to relieve depression

Currently, the best solution for relieving depression that is clinically recognized in the global mental health field and verified by large-sample data is "standardized medical intervention matched with individualized life adjustments and social support." There is no single effective method that is suitable for everyone. The choice that suits your current situation and makes you feel comfortable is the most effective.

Regarding medical intervention, there have always been two parallel mainstream ideas in the academic community. There is no higher or lower, but the adaptation situation is different. The clinical path of psychiatry is more towards drugs or physical therapy as the first choice for moderate and above depression. It first quickly adjusts the secretion levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, suppresses acute symptoms such as insomnia, headaches, persistent depression and even thoughts of self-harm, and avoids extreme risks. I met a senior high school student last month who only slept 2 hours a day for a week during a depressive episode. He couldn't even hear the teacher's voice while sitting in the classroom. He took antidepressants and sleep aids for two weeks to get his sleep back to 6 hours a day before the follow-up psychological intervention could finally proceed. Researchers in the field of clinical psychology emphasize the long-term value of psychological intervention. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help people reverse automatic catastrophic thinking such as "I can't do anything well" and "everyone hates me", and fundamentally reduce the probability of depression recurrence. Current public tracking research data shows that a combination of medication and psychological intervention has a recurrence rate of more than 40% lower than a single medication.

Many people tend to fall into traps at this stage, always thinking about "getting through it on their own", and even resist taking medicine for fear of "taking medicine to make them stupid" or "dependent". To put it bluntly, I have seen too many people struggling with it for more than half a year, from mild symptoms to moderate symptoms. They can't even go to work and eat normally before seeking medical treatment, which in turn prolongs the entire recovery cycle. Depression is essentially a disease with a physiological basis. Just like you can't cure pneumonia by "trying not to cough", you can't get over depression by "trying to be more cheerful". You should seek medical treatment when you need it. There is really no shame in it. Moreover, the side effects of the new antidepressants commonly used today are not as exaggerated as those reported online. Most people will only experience mild nausea and drowsiness in the first two weeks of taking the medicine, which will disappear after they adapt. Even if long-term medication is required, the damage to the brain is much less than being in a long-term state of depression.

Oh, by the way, don’t believe those nonsense on the Internet about “getting out of depression in 7 days” and “depression can be cured by doing these three things”. I have seen too many people follow these steps and it doesn’t work. Instead, they fall into deeper self-denial and feel that they can’t get better because they don’t work hard enough. This is pure nonsense.

Let me tell you something interesting. I was sharing in an offline salon for people who have recovered from depression, and I asked them what they thought was the most useful "unofficial method." The one that got the most votes was "Allow yourself to lie flat." A girl who works in UI design said that when she was first diagnosed, her parents encouraged her every day, asking her to go out more and play more with friends. They also forced her to run 3 kilometers every day, saying that exercise can cure depression. As a result, she was so stressed during that time that she cried whenever she saw sneakers. Later, she quit her job and rented a house with a small yard on the first floor. There were no KPIs, so she would pet the cat in the yard in the sun. When she felt happy, she would draw two small illustrations that she liked, and she would lie down for a day if she didn't want to move. No one urged her to "get better soon." When she went for a follow-up checkup three months later, her Hamilton Depression Scale score dropped by more than half, and the doctors even asked her if she had secretly received any special treatment. In fact, there is no secret, it's just that she finally doesn't have to force herself to meet the standards of a "normal person".

Of course, I’m not saying that exercise is useless. Exercise can promote the secretion of endorphins, and it does have a clear effect on mood regulation, but you also have to look at your current state. If you don't even have the strength to get out of bed, forcing yourself to run 3 kilometers will only make you feel "I can't even do such a small thing", which will intensify your self-denial. At this time, even if you just sit by the window and bask in the sun for 10 minutes, touch the soft fur of the kitten at home, or drink a cup of hot bubble milk tea, it will be effective.

I had a client who had relapsed three times. Later, I figured out a very simple method. I carried a palm-sized notebook with me. Every time extreme thoughts such as "I am a waste" and "I will never get better in this life" pop up in my mind, I immediately write them down in the notebook. When the condition is a little better, I will write down three small things that can refute this thought. , such as "I made a delicious Basque cake for my friend last week", "My cat will wait for me at the door every time I come home", "The kid downstairs gave me a little wild flower last time", just such a small method with no technical content, she has persisted for two years, and now even if she occasionally has a low mood, she will not be stuck for months without being able to get out like before.

Of course, these methods are not suitable for everyone. I have also seen some clients who are not interested in the psychological intervention of sitting down and chatting at all. After chatting several times, they feel that it is useless. Instead, they go hiking on the outskirts of the city once a week and chat a few words with the mountain friends they meet on the road, and their condition gets better and better.； Some people have a particularly strong reaction to drugs. They have tried several antidepressants but still feel nauseated and dizzy. They then turn to physical therapy such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, and the results are also very good.

In fact, after talking so much, you will find that there is no "most effective method" that is universally applicable. Depression is essentially your body and brain sending you signals, telling you that there is something wrong with your previous lifestyle and thinking mode, and you need to stop and adjust. You don’t need to compare your recovery speed with others, and you don’t need to force yourself to do the “right thing” that others say. If you can eat one more hot meal today and cry for ten minutes less, it is already a big improvement.