Recurrent depression is the biggest obstacle for patients to reintegrate into society and mingle with others. With the current medical level, many depression patients can receive professional and efficient treatment. Patients often feel a significant boost in their confidence regarding their mental and psychological changes in the short term. However, many patients fail to adhere to the doctor’s treatment plan after their symptoms improve, leading to recurrent episodes and worsening conditions.
1. Why does depression recur even after improvement?
01. Failure to adhere to standardized treatment:
Emphasizing standardized treatment is essential in depression therapy, requiring medication and treatment to be taken at specified intervals. The dosage may vary at different stages and is determined by the individual’s physical condition. Treatment progresses through acute, relief, and consolidation phases. Some patients, after taking medication normally during the acute phase, stop or reduce medication as they feel better, disregarding the inconvenience and harm caused by skipping medication, thus key to increasing the recurrence rate of depression.
02. Lack of strategies to cope with negative emotions:
Aside from the absence of proper treatment, a crucial issue leading to the recurrence of depression is the lack of effective measures to handle negative psychological events.
This calls for patients to engage in psychological therapy alongside medication, learning scientifically proven coping methods such as emotional management, stress management, interpersonal relationship management, parent-child relationships, and career planning. When negative psychological events occur, patients should face, digest, and handle them in a constructive way to prevent the emergence of negative emotions like sensitivity, suspicion, insomnia, anxiety, and irritability, significantly reducing the risk of depression recurrence.
2. How to prevent the recurrence of depression?
01. Maintain standardized treatment:
Firstly, adhering to standardized treatment is the cornerstone for preventing depression recurrence. This includes timely and proper dosage of prescribed medication without changing or stopping it arbitrarily. Even with symptom relief, patients should continue consolidation and maintenance therapy under medical supervision, a process that usually lasts for several months or longer. Regular follow-ups and adjustments to treatment plans and medication dosage based on the patient’s condition are necessary to maximize treatment effectiveness.
02. Active participation in psychological therapy:
Psychological therapy plays a significant role in preventing depression recurrence. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a commonly used method that helps patients identify and alter negative thought patterns and behaviors to enhance mental resilience. Family therapy, Morita therapy, among others, are effective choices, especially for patients with depression resulting from tense family relationships or life stress. Through psychological therapy, patients learn stress coping methods and emotional regulation, reducing the risk of recurrence.
03. Healthy lifestyle habits:
Maintaining good lifestyle habits is crucial for preventing depression recurrence. Patients should ensure adequate sleep to relieve fatigue and stress, engage in physical exercises such as Tai Chi, yoga, or running, which not only boosts physical fitness but also uplifts mood. A balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals from fresh vegetables and fruits, avoiding spicy foods and substances altering thoughts (like alcohol, drugs) is essential. Active involvement in social activities, keeping in touch with family and friends to share feelings, effectively prevents depression recurrence.
04. Self-awareness and regulatory skills:
Patients should enhance self-awareness, understanding their emotional changes and triggers, and learn self-regulation. When facing stress or negative emotions, adopting positive coping strategies like deep breathing, meditation, relaxation training can ease tension. Maintaining a positive mindset, cultivating interests, enriching life activities help boost mental resilience and prevent relapse. Seeking social support:
Social support is a vital external factor in preventing depression recurrence. Patients should maintain close contact with family and friends, share emotions and experiences to receive emotional support and understanding. Joining depression patient support groups or engaging in related charitable activities can provide emotional support and information exchange, reducing feelings of loneliness and helplessness, strengthening recovery confidence.
3. What to do if depression really recurs?
01. Immediate treatment:
Although timely treatment might sound like a cliché, once a recurrence occurs, it becomes pivotal to seek treatment promptly. For depression, each recurrence tends to become more complex, possibly accompanied by anxiety and compulsions, necessitating systematic treatment following the doctor’s guidance.
02. Acknowledge the situation:
The recurrence of depression does not imply any wrongdoing or reflect one’s character; it is akin to any recurring illness. Therefore, when it resurfaces, accept it calmly and reassure yourself, saying: “It seems like I’m depressed again, but it’s okay, I have the confidence to overcome it.”
03. Take manageable steps:
Avoid forcing oneself into tasks beyond one’s abilities and focus on what can be managed. If willing to move around, engage in activities to stay active like watching a movie, taking a stroll in the nearby park. Allow some time to be alone, try interacting with others, confide in trusted friends or family about your feelings, avoid isolation, and do not hesitate to seek help from others.
