Summary: Strengths Based Biopsychosocial Approach to Recovery from Depression Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC Executive Director, AllCEUs Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox and Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery Objectives ~ Define depression (symptoms) ~ Learn how to ask strengths-based assessment questions ~ Identify a range of potential causes for depression ~ Explore activities and interventions that can help people address some of the underlying causes Depression ~ Depression represents a cluster of symptoms ~ Diagnosis with depression only requires people to have a few of the symptoms ~ A variety of different things can cause depression ~ Emotions: Anger, anxiety, grief, guilt, shame ~ Thoughts: Cognitive distortions ~ Relationships: Poor self-esteem, unhealthy/unsupportive relationships, need for external validation ~ Physical: Neurochemical imbalances, poor nutrition, exhaustion, insufficient sleep, medication side effects ~ Environmental: High stress environments that prevent relaxation/rest and increase hopelessness/helplessness Depression Assessment ~ What does this mean to you? (apathy, sadness, mood swings) ~ Which symptoms are most bothersome for you and why? ~ For each symptom ~ What makes depression worse? ~ What makes depression better? ~ How was life more pleasurable prior to getting depressed? ~ What is different during when you are NOT depressed? ~ How do you expect life to be different when your depression is gone? Neurotransmitters ~ Ability to feel pleasure/Apathy/Emotional Flatness ~ Memory issues ~ Difficulty concentrating ~ Sleep issues ~ Lack of motivation ~ Fatigue ~ Pain ~ Irritability/Agitation ~ Fight or flight stress symptoms Neurotransmitters ~ Get quality sleep ~ Create a routine ~ Address pain and apnea ~ Improve the sleep environment ~ Other factors: Shift work, time zones, daylight savings time ~ Relaxation ~ Biofeedback ~ Progressive muscular relaxation ~ Address medication side effects ~ Psychotropics ~ Opiates ~ Improve nutrition Neurotransmitters ~ Address addictive behaviors ~ Address chronic or extreme stress ~ Refresher ~ Both of these increase the amount of neurotransmitters flooding the synapses. ~ To protect the body from overload, the brain shuts down some of the receptors so the body does not overload (tolerance/desensitization) ~ When the neurotransmitters return to a normal level, the receptors are still shut down, so not enough neurotransmitter gets sent out. ~ Things that normally caused a reaction, no longer are strong enough to cause a reaction Hormones ~ Thyroid ~ Impact mood, libido and energy levels ~ Estrogen ~ Boosts neurotransmitters that affect sleep, mood, memory, libido, pain perception, learning and attention span. ~ Increased estrogen may increase the availability of serotonin Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews Volume 4 Number 1, March 2005 43-58 ~ Low testosterone may be implicated in reducing the availability of serotonin ~ Testosterone is manufactured by the adrenal glands, ~ Enhances libido, improves stamina and sleep, assists brain function, and is associated with assertive behavior and a sense of well-being. Hormones ~ Cortisol ~ Cortisol is made by the adrenal glands. ~ Helps the body adapt to stress by increasing heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure. ~ Cortisol levels increase early in the morning to prepare to meet the demands of the day, and gradually decrease throughout the day (“circadian rhythm”). ~ DHEA ~ DHEA can also increase libido and sexual arousal. It improves motivation, engenders a sense of well-being, decreases pain, facilitates the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep, enhances memory and enhances immune system function. Dr. Elise Schroder http://womeninbalance.org/about-hormone-imbalance/hormones-101/ Hormones ~ Get a physical to identify and address what may be causing any imbalances ~ Eat a low-glycemic diet ~ “The less sleep you get, the higher your cortisol will be; the more sleep you get, the lower your cortisol will
