Healing from Depression
1. What is “Depression”? Depression is an impairing low mood that can last weeks, months or even years. A sense of isolation, disconnection and alienation resulting from a lack of safe attachment, attunement, emotional nurturance, care, sense of belonging, connectedness and unconditional acceptance during the developmental age underpin depression. Also, an underdeveloped self and enmeshment with relevant others deriving from an environment whilst growing up that engendered dependency, did not foster belief in self, free self-expression and hindered the development of self-confidence represent dimensions correlating with depression. Developmental trauma – including neglect – often also result in depressive symptoms.
2. How does one tell if they’ve got it? What symptoms should they be aware of? Depressive symptoms manifest along a continuum, from the more mild to severe. A sense of meaninglessness, low self-esteem, apathy and hopelessness, often alongside suicidality, are common symptoms.
3. How can therapy/speaking to a psychologist help someone suffering from depression, especially as a first step towards getting better? The focus of therapy is on identifying maladaptive coping behaviours, on developing a strong and caring healthy adult that can meet core emotional needs such as those for self-acceptance, self-kindness, meaningful and authentic connection with self and others. The therapist also supports these processes and aids the processing of traumatic past experiences to eventually break negative life patterns and facilitate the befriending of the body such that the client can feel safe therein.
4. Do you think people in Singapore are more open to talking about mental health, in particular, depression? Or are we still a long way from de-stigmatising it? I see Singaporeans are becoming more welcoming to psychological support, especially the younger generation. We do have more access to information today, as such the historic stigma is progressively diminishing.
5. What advice do you have for those who may be suffering from depression but are afraid to ask for help, or don’t know how to? Joining a support group or a support system of caring and competent people, even online, could help to break the initial hesitation and developing familiarity with the idea of being worthy of help and happiness in life. We are all worthy of thriving in life, therefore we all worthy of a sound therapeutic process.
6. What is one thing we can do for ourselves as an everyday tool in managing/overcoming depressive thoughts/moods? I would say unconditional service and support for other people, planet Earth and/or animals, physical activity and exercise, especially yoga, pranayama breathing exercises, mindfulness and meditation. Developing one’s spiritual dimension is paramount as an integration with psychotherapy in order to experience stillness and peace from within.