Has your first treatment for depression not worked? Do you feel like there is no way out and that nothing will ever be the same again? Are you about to let depression get the better of you?
Take a deep breath, calm down, and get ready to fight again because just because the first treatment for depression didn’t work doesn’t mean you should give up. In fact, it is estimated that approximately 50% of people who suffer from depression fail to resolve the problem on the first try.
Why has depression treatment not yielded the expected results?
There are a number of reasons why the first treatment for depression may fail. For example, if you were taking steroids or hormones along with antidepressants, the action of which often decreases the effectiveness of depression medications or even completely cancels their effect. A simple glass of wine can also interact with medications and reduce their effectiveness. Stress and sleep problems are also known to affect recovery.
However, most treatments for depression fail because there is no adherence to therapy. That is, the person forgets to take the medication or stops taking it because they are afraid of the side effects. Adherence to psychological therapy is also often a problem, as many people give up after the first few sessions because they do not get the results they expected.
We cannot forget the fact that the first weeks of treatment, whether medication or psychological, involve an adaptation process. Often the psychiatrist or psychologist tries different methods until finding the most suitable one for the person.
How to promote therapeutic adherence?
If you are going to give yourself a second chance and decide to start a treatment for depression again, it is important that you take into account these aspects, which are not a 100% guarantee of success but will help you throughout the process.
Many people go to a psychologist hoping that he or she has a magic formula, but in reality, there is no one better than you to know what you need. You can inform yourself and decide whether you want to follow a behavioural therapy or ask a psychoanalyst for help, whether you want to resort to drugs or alternative therapies.
Your psychologist or psychiatrist will give you guidance on the best path to follow, but it is important that you actively participate in the choice, since you are the one who has the final say. Remember that the more personalized the strategy, the more likely it is to work.
- Set goals for each stage of treatment
Treatment has an end goal, but it happens in different stages. Often, when we focus only on the goal, we become demotivated along the way and give up. That’s why it’s a good idea to talk to your therapist and ask for help in setting short-term goals that you can achieve and that show you’re making progress.
It is also helpful to discuss the ultimate goal: Do you just want to reduce your symptoms or do you intend to make some major changes in your life? Are you also interested in strengthening your self-esteem or do you just want to acquire some techniques to fall back on in the darkest moments?
- Assume that results will take time
Treatment for depression is often long-term, and results do not come overnight, but rather require a lot of effort and dedication. Even if you take the easy route, with antidepressants, it will take an average of six to eight weeks to start noticing their effects. Psychotherapy is usually a slower process, as it is not easy to replace the negative beliefs you have been nurturing over the years.
Knowing how to balance your expectations is essential, as this way you will not become discouraged or think about abandoning the treatment. You must be aware that you have embarked on a path that may be long, but in the end, the effort will have been worth it.
- Don’t evade your share of responsibility
Living with depression is not easy, but you should avoid feeling sorry for yourself and falling into the trap of guilt. The best thing to do is to accept that you have reached a point in your life that you do not like and that you need help to get out of. Erase the word “guilt” from your vocabulary and start using the word “responsibility.” It is not just a simple linguistic change, but rather taking control of your life.
- Stimulate your senses
Depression changes the way we perceive the world. Several studies have shown that depressed people actually perceive colours less intensely and lose their sense of taste a little. To break this vicious circle, it is important to stimulate your senses. How? Very simple: go out and get some fresh air and concentrate on the sensations, enjoy music, try new things, get in touch with nature, try a different activity… It is about understanding through your senses that being alive is worth it because there is so much to enjoy.
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