This book tells you what to do to combat Depression.
Most people go through some phases in their life in a depressed mood. Our moods naturally fluctuate. Little ups and downs are a normal part of life.
But for some, the downs (and ups) are greater than others. Clinical depression is a physical illness just like asthma or cold, and need to be treated as such. "Snap out of it" doesn't work, no more than they can snap out of asthma attack or cold.
I went through a few depressed times while I was in college. From now I can say they were not that serious, but at these old times I had different opinion.
Besides, I am somewhat inclined to be self-absorbed. It works for me to work as a scientist (there are a bunch like me among scientists), to write blogs and other stuff, and to analyze whatever I am interested with (probably) greater attentiveness. But a side effect is that I can be, well, self-absorbed and remote. And with this character I can get caught by depression, just like I can get caught by a flu.
So when I recently heard something that made me sad, I bought this book.
This book describes a six-step program to beat depression without drugs. So, it should work for still healthy (hopefully), me.
This book says,
(1) Take omega3 (fish oil) supplements
(2) Engage activity
(3) Exercise physically
(4) Exposed to sunlight
(5) Have social support
(6) Sleep
Yup, I'll keep them in mind and will do them.
Here are a few nuggets from the book.
"Hunter-gatherers don't get depression"
"Depression is closely linked to a toxic thought process called rumination--the habit of dwelling on negative thoughts, turning them over and over and over in your mind".
"SAD (Seasonal Affefctive Disorder)....the treatment of choice for SAD is bright light therapy"
"Wherever a person is caught in the grip of depressive illness, the situation is agonizing for the spouse,...........Spouses can be an invaluable resource in the recovery process."
Overall I liked this book. The six steps are all actionable.
On a related topic;
This article is not from the book, but it caught my attention some time ago.
http://www.frontiersin.org/Behavioral_Neuroscience/10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00041/full
The title of this behavioral neuroscience paper reads,
"Don't be too strict with yourself! Rigid negative self-representation in healthy subjects mimics the neurocognitive profile of depression for autographical memory".
It is saying that the brain usage pattern of people with Negative over-generalization is similar to patients with depression.
Yeah, if I keep saying to myself "why am I ALWAYS like that", "I will NEVER be able to do it", or "You will not change, you will ALWAYS be the same", it's got to be depressing.
A Tango instructor told me that he can tell a beginner couple that is not going to last just by listening to their language.
He basically said that if one is blaming the other,or both are blaming each other, it's not going to last.
It is a wisdom. Language of how we speak to self and others matters. I got to be very careful on this one.
A few days ago I went to Tulsa for a milonga and for OK/KS/AR state swing dance contest. I had some pretty good dances, both for Tango and for Swing. They should be helpful to combat depression, too.
