Safest Therapies for Mental Stress and Depression – As the most widespread medical illness today, depression and anxiety disorders affect over 264 million people of all ages. It may make the individual grieve a lot and underperform at their job, school, and home.
If you struggle with stress or depression, you are not unaccompanied, but there is hope. While there is no “one size fits all” treatment for mental health disorders, specific therapies have been proven more effective than others at relieving symptoms like these. For a list of treatments proven most effective for mental stress and depression, you can visit the platforms like The Human Condition.
What is Mental Stress And Depression?
Mental stress is often used to describe pressure related to your overall state of well-being, while depression may be a symptom of an illness or condition. Everyone experiences mental stress at some point, but it’s not the same as clinical depression. The latter occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough of certain brain chemicals, like serotonin or dopamine.
Major life actions, such as an illness or financial troubles, can trigger depression. If left untreated, depression can lead to suicide and other self-destructive behaviours.
Common Signs of Depression
- Loss of interest in activities
- Loss of energy
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Frequent sadness or crying spells
- Changes in appetite or sleep patterns
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is said to be effective as a first-line treatment option in mild to moderate depression. It focuses on thoughts, feelings, beliefs, relationships, and environment, which all play an important role in mental stress or depression.
Psychotherapy is used to identify and change negative thought patterns that often contribute to your anxiety or depression.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
It is a therapeutic technique designed to help individuals develop healthier reactions to the stresses of life through mindfulness meditation. Simply put, it is a program that helps you stop reacting poorly to stressful situations, so you can begin responding constructively instead.
Experts like The Human Condition combine relaxation techniques like meditation with awareness practices like yoga and movement arts. All are designed around reducing psychological distress by increasing awareness of your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and environment in the present moment.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In cognitive-behavioural therapy or CBT, patients learn to identify thoughts that trigger the negative feelings and behaviours they want to change. They then think of alternative ways to view the situation. CBT is considered very effective for depression, although it doesn’t have a good record in treating anxiety disorders.
The goal of CBT is better mental health and the confidence that comes from knowing you can handle life’s challenges as they come along.
Interpersonal Therapy
It is a psychotherapy treatment that focuses on relationship problems. People suffering from depression often have difficulties in their relationships with family, friends, colleagues, or partners. The goal of interpersonal therapy is to teach you how to cope with problems in your relationships.
This therapy will focus on improving communication and problem-solving skills between you and others, reducing stress levels. You may use this therapy alone or with antidepressant medication to treat the condition of depression.
Eating Right and Exercising More
It is the most important aspect of maintaining mental health. Your mind and body are inextricably linked. A healthy diet will ensure you have enough of the right nutrients to keep your mind sharp. Regular exercise will help maintain your focus on essential goals while improving your ability to cope with stress.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Most likely, a patient with mental illness won’t have to struggle through life alone; friends, family, and even their community at large can provide support in ways that go far beyond what a therapist or drug could offer.
If you’re dealing with mental illness or know someone who is, be sure to let them know that support is available. It doesn’t need to be frightening or sad if you have the right people in your corner. And if nothing else, remember: just because it’s in your head doesn’t mean it has to stay there.
Final Thoughts – Safest Therapies for Mental Stress and Depression
If you suffer from anxiety or depression symptoms that are getting worse instead of better after a few weeks (or months), consider seeking professional help. If you still struggle with these symptoms without treatment, your anxiety or depression may grow more intense.
Over time, untreated depression or anxiety can affect your ability to function at work and other parts of your life, such as family relationships and social life, leading to work productivity problems, stress, health problems and substance abuse.
