Depression

There is a lot of misunderstanding and controversy today, both by therapists and the public over "depression." This controversy is part of the age old "nature vs. nurture" question which asks "How much of who we are is biologically determined, and how much is related to our upbringing, and other sociological factors?" .

We do know that there is a chemical change in the brain when someone is depressed, but that still doesn't answer the cause-effect question. We know that certain anti-depressant medications can help at times. We also know that specialized psychotherapy can and does help. A combination of the two usually is the best of both worlds and in the ever growing fields of psychology and psychiatry seems to help the majority of patients who seek treatment.

It is our view that if it is possible for a person to feel better without the use of medication, it is in general a more empowering solution, since 1) the person will need to learn to use different areas of his/her brain, and therefore expand their thought process, and 2) will avoid all the negative side effects which may come with the use of medication. After working with people who suffer with depression for over 25 years, we have found that there is a lot that can be done without medication in many cases.

One way of thinking about depression is to compare it to holding an air ball underwater. It takes a lot of energy to hold the ball down. Our emotions are currents of energy that pass through us. If we are able to let the emotion (emotion=energy in motion) pass through us without blocking it (or holding it down, i.e., depressing it) we will become happy, angry, sad, scared, disappointed, etc., but not depressed.

Human beings are creatures of habit. If we have learned through habit to block our emotional energy (which can be done consciously or unconsciously), we may become anxious or depressed. Why and how we block our emotions, and how to reverse that process is what effective therapy addresses. Learning how to be "present" with our emotions, and expressing them in a way that is not destructive to ourselves, or others, helps us to feel more alive, and also allows us to feel closer to others, and allows others to understand and feel closer to us. Using the air ball analogy, there is a lot of energy expended by holding the ball underwater. If we are accustomed to "holding down” or suppressing our emotions, it would be very difficult and frightening to suddenly release them. Often, people are so accustomed to suppressing their emotions, they are unaware that they are even doing it, and have no idea how to reverse that process. Often, people rationalize their depression, believing that they are better off without their emotions. If they come from an unhealthy family system (Also See Adults with Troubled Childhoods) it is easy to understand why someone would carry this belief into adulthood.

Effective therapy can help you understand:

1 – That you have emotions that can be experienced in your body.

2 – That you are suppressing or "depressing" those emotions.

3 – The cost/benefit of depressing your feelings.

4 – How and why you are doing it, and when it may still be a good choice in a particular situation. How you can change what you are doing, in order to improve the quality of your life experiences.

5 – Therapy that is based exclusively on intellectual understanding is not nearly as effective in treating depression as is therapy that accesses and uses your awareness of your body.

6 – Part of the therapist’s job is to help you become aware of your body posture, facial expressions, voice tone, and sensations in your body, as well as your thoughts which accompany your body feelings, and body language.

7 – This helps you understand that you may be creating your depression with your own thoughts and behaviors.

8 – This can create a feeling of control over yourself, which is the opposite of the helplessness and hopelessness that accompanies depression.

9 – The greater the control we feel over our mind and body, the less afraid we are to experiment with new behaviors that can potentially raise our self esteem.

10 – Often over time, your depression not only lifts, but you may discover more joy, passion, and meaning to your life than you ever believed was possible .