Try Four Therapies for Depression
Depression is a common psychological disorder, with women being two to three times more likely to be affected than men, causing great suffering. Below are four self-therapies:
Physical Therapy
Exercise can give a sense of relaxation and personal control, helping overcome the loneliness commonly experienced by depression patients. However, exercise must have sufficient intensity, duration, and frequency to achieve expected results. For example, fitness routines may include running, skipping rope, and dance exercises, performed at least three times per week, each session lasting 15 to 20 minutes. Walking can produce similar effects to running; experts recommend walking 1,500 meters daily, aiming to complete it within 15 minutes, gradually increasing distance until 4,500 meters are walked in 45 minutes. Consult a doctor before starting any exercise program.
Nutritional Therapy
Many doctors believe that vitamins and amino acids in food significantly affect mental health. Some experts suggest that a deficiency in a single nutrient may trigger depression in individuals prone to suspicion, so they recommend consuming foods rich in vitamin B, such as whole grains and fish. They also advise patients to take a certain dose of complex vitamin B, as these are commonly deficient nutrients.
Mental Therapy
Depression patients often view the world and themselves through a distorted lens. To correct this, Gary Emmer from the Los Angeles Mental Health Center proposed the "Three A Method": Awareness, Answering, and Action—named after the initial letter A of each word.
Awareness: First, acknowledge one's depressive state; second, pay attention to emotional changes, abnormal behaviors or speech, differences in perception, and physical reactions.
Answering: Learn to identify and record erroneous thoughts immediately when they arise. Write down the mistaken idea, then write a more realistic alternative. The purpose is to test the idea in practice. After writing, ask: "Is this really true?" Then ask: "How would I see this from another perspective?"
Action: If feeling unnoticed, try a new approach; if struggling at work, consider taking a course to improve skills or seek a new job. Plan more activities to bring regularity into life.
Social Therapy
Studies show that people who are good at socializing are significantly happier mentally than those who prefer solitude. A recent campaign launched by a U.S. mental health research center promotes the slogan "Friends Are Medicine," suggesting that social support can even extend lifespan.
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