Medication together with psychotherapy is an effective treatment for depression, but we must keep in mind that psychotropic drugs have side effects while the body adapts. Additionally, if consumption is not stopped appropriately, withdrawal symptoms may occur. For these reasons, some people prefer not to take medication to overcome depression. In cases where depression is mild or moderate, the person can recover with psychotherapy and other guidelines such as exercise, healthy diet, mindfulness techniques, support networks or self-help groups, and lifestyle changes. In this Psychology-Online article, we tell you how to overcome depression without medication.
Behavioral activation: what we do influences our mood
Emotions are important “sources of information” that guide our behavior and allow us to “function” as human beings.
Happiness, for example, is the emotional reward we receive for carrying out activities of value to us and that help us improve our quality of life. Anxiety causes us to avoid situations that threaten our survival. Guilt makes us act respectfully and helps us have appropriate social relationships. Sadness lets us know when we have lost something important. In the depression, sadness is due to the loss of self-esteem and hope.
Just as our emotions guide our behavior, so does the opposite. That is, our behavior directly influences our emotions. The more we avoid situations that challenge us, the less confidence we will have in our ability to cope with them and the more anxiety we will feel. The more we treat other people disrespectfully, the more guilty we will feel. And the more we stop doing activities that previously made us feel good and valuable, the more depressed we will be.
People with depression have a decreased sense of pleasure and success in life. Furthermore, with depression Emotions flatten, they do not exist. Without emotions we are lost, nothing makes sense. It is very difficult to “be” in life without emotional reinforcements, just as returning to work without a paycheck would be very difficult for most of us.
The problem is that when depression leads to inactivity, abandonment and isolation, there are fewer opportunities to achieve a sense of pleasure and success in life. As a consequence, depression, hopelessness, and motivation worsen over time. At that point, you have to break the vicious cycle of depression.
Behavioral activation to combat depression without medications
The goal of this type of therapy is to break the cycle of depression iIncreasing participation in activities and, therefore, increasing the chances of experiencing pleasure and success. For decades, behavioral activation was used as the behavioral component of cognitive-behavioral therapy, but a famous study showed that behavioral activation was as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy with its behavioral and cognitive components. Modifying our behaviors may be enough to improve depressive symptoms.
Behavioral activation consists of the following steps:
1. Activity and mood monitoring
Depression makes it difficult for a person to notice fluctuations in mood, everything seems “black” at all times, but mood fluctuates, at least to some degree. The first step of behavioral activation is to become familiar with these fluctuations.
For it, activities will be recorded on paper performed, as well as the level of depression (from 1 to 10) every day for 2 weeks until reaching step 2.
2. Perceive the relationship between certain activities and your mood
At the end of the week when you review the activities you have done and your mood each day, ask two questions: What activities are associated with better mood? And, which ones are in a low mood? make one list of activities with better mood and another with activities with worse mood. Throughout the weeks you must fill out these lists with the corresponding activities.
When you’re depressed, you’re more likely to find more low-mood activities than good ones. This is completely normal at the beginning of therapy, but the idea is that over time this will balance out and finally change.
3. Organize more activities related to a good mood
It sounds simple, but it is important to do it. It is essential to organize activities that you previously found pleasurable, even if they are not satisfying at first.
Keep in mind the days that you can carry out these activities without any problem in order to avoid excuses or obstacles. Plan some activities with family or friends who will form a good support network.
4. Balance activities that give you pleasure and success
You should do activities that give you only pleasure (dancing, reading a book…) and also other activities that, although they may not be pleasurable, give you a feeling of accomplishment (cleaning the house, going to work…).
It is important to maintain a balance between both types of activities. Too many pleasurable activities can be harmful, since we can neglect our obligations and end up very overwhelmed. On the other hand, many achievement-based activities can make us feel like we are working all day without a break. Finding activities that provide us with achievement and pleasure simultaneously would be ideal.
5. Doing to feel good and not waiting to feel good before doing
This step is critical. If an activity is on the schedule and we do it, focus on satisfaction what it means to have done it.
A depressed mood discourages us from making changes in our lives. Behavioral activation is based on the fact that if we behave as if we were depressed, we will continue to feel depressed. Our behaviors (what we do) must change before our emotions and motivations improve.
If there are too many organized activities in one day, do something gentler, but keep moving. That way, even if you go slower you continue in that direction.
To stay motivated, consider the long-term benefits of breaking the cycle and breaking out of depression.
6. Strengthen yourself
When you have met your daily goals, congratulate yourself Think about natural reinforcements that help you maintain motivation to continue achieving goals. These boosters will help improve your mood, even during difficult times. The road is hard and even though it is the road to recovery, there will be good and bad moments.
Other options to overcome depression without medications
Some options to overcome depression without medication are:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
CBT is a therapy whose objective is train the way of thinking of the person to avoid entering spirals of negative thinking that lead to depression, anxiety and worries. It can be done individually or in groups. Doing this therapy in a group can be beneficial for the person, since it encourages social interaction with other people who have the same concerns, feeling understanding and support.
Mindfulness
It can be very beneficial for mental health. It consists of focusing attention on the present moment. The past that people with depression tend to obsess over is not contemplated. There is also no thinking about the future that anxious people obsess over. Mindfulness includes meditation and breathing exercises that encourage the person to focus on the “here and now”, focusing their attention on their senses to achieve a full experience.
Performing mindfulness properly requires a lot of practice and commitment.
Physical exercise
It’s already a cliché, but actually practicing physical exercise is a good natural antidepressant. Improves mood, self-confidence and sleep quality.
A good option that combines exercise and mindfulness is yoga.
Good communication and social support
People with anxiety, depression or eating disorders may feel alone. Establishing good communication with family and friends can help relieve stress. However, in Psychology-Online, we also show you useful tips for .
If the person who has depression is not you but a loved one, here you will find.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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