Successful Recovery from Depression

Successful Recovery from Depression

Depression is a disorder of the brain. Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can have a negative effect on a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings, world view, and physical well-being.

There are a variety of causes, including genetic, environmental, psychological, and biochemical factors. Some types of depression run in families. In some families, major depression also seems to occur generation after generation. However, it can also occur in people who have no family history of depression. Whether inherited or not, major depressive disorder is often associated with changes in brain structures or brain function.

In recent years, researchers have shown that physical changes in the body can be accompanied by mental changes as well. Medical illnesses such as stroke, a heart attack, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and hormonal disorders can cause depressive illness, making the sick person apathetic and unwilling to care for his or her physical needs, thus prolonging the recovery period.

Depression is a severe disorder, and one that can often go undetected in some people’s lives because it can creep up on you. Depression doesn’t need to strike all at once; it can be a gradual and nearly unnoticeable withdrawal from your active life and enjoyment of living. Or it can be caused by a clear event, such as the breakup of a long-term relationship, a divorce, family problems, etc. Finding and understanding the causes of depression isn’t nearly as important as getting appropriate and effective treatment for it.


Symptoms of depression can include:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
• Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
• Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
• Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
• Restlessness, irritability
• Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

People who are depressed are more likely to use alcohol or illegal substances.

Complications of depression also include:

• Increased risk of health problems
• Suicide

Successful recovery from depression

1. Identify the signs of depression

Being able to determine if you have signs of depression is the essential first step towards combating this emotional problem. Listed below are signs associated with depression, and if you have some of these, then it will be best to start seeking for professional help.

2. Establish supportive and healthy relationship

Now is perhaps the best time to get support from people you love and trust, as they play a big role in encouraging you to lift up your spirit a little higher. Recovering from depression is difficult to do and maintain on your own, as loneliness can only make it even worse for you. At first, you may feel that reaching out to friends and family can be exhausting and overwhelming but just stay focused and always remember that people around you care a lot for you.

3.Start doing things that you previously enjoy doing.

The next great way on coping with depression is try to do things, no matter how small they are, that truly make you happy about yourself. If you were into arts before, why not do artworks where you can express your feeling? If you enjoy music, try to listen to songs about depression such as Beautiful World by Carolina Liar, Any Man in America by Blue October, Counting Crows' Come Around, Crescent Noon by the Carpenters and a lot more. Listening to them can somehow make you realize that you are not alone in this battle, thus inspiring you even more to get through with it with flying colors.

4. Learn how to take care of yourself again

This is a basic step on how to deal with depression that you can easily follow. Some of the healthy habits you can start doing without costing you a lot are:

• Get 8 hours of sleep
• Exercise. Take a short walk or jog every day.
• Get out. Feel a little sunlight every morning.
• Eat healthy.
• Learn some few relaxation techniques.

NCP - Nursing Diagnosis for Depression with Interventions

NCP - Nursing Diagnosis for Depression with Interventions

Nanda Nursing Care Plan for Depression

Depression is a natural kind of feeling or emotion that accompanied psychological component: think hard, gloomy, sad, hopeless and unhappy, and somatic components: anorexia, constipation, skin moist (cold), blood pressure and pulse rate decreased slightly.

Depression is caused by many factors including: heriditer factors and genetic, constitutional factors, premorbid personality factors, physical factors, psychobiology factors , neurologic factors, biochemical factors in the body, factors electrolyte balance and so on.

Depression is usually triggered by physical trauma such as infectious disease, surgery, accidents, labor and so on, as well as psychic factors such as loss of love or self-esteem and the effect of hard work.

Depression is a normal reaction when it takes place in a short time, with a clear trigger, long and deep depression that factor originators. Psychotic depression is when a complaint is concerned no longer compatible with reality, not to judge reality and can not be understood by others.

The data needs to be assessed in patients with Depression

1. Depression

a. Subjective data:
Not being able to express their opinions and lazy talk. Often argued somatic complaints. Feeling themselves are not useful anymore, no meaning, no purpose in life, feeling hopeless and suicidal.

b. Objective data:
Body movements were blocked, curved body and when sitting with slumped attitude, facial expressions moody, slow gait dragged by step. It can sometimes happen stupor. Patients seem lazy, tired, no appetite, difficulty sleeping and crying.
The thinking process too late, as if his mind blank, impaired concentration, had no interest in, can not think, do not have any imagination. In patients with depressive psychosis there is a deep sense of guilt, unreasonable (irrational), Objective Data delusions, depersonalization, and hallucinations.
Sometimes patients prefer hostile, irritable and do not like to be disturbed.

2. Maladaptive coping

a. Subjective Data: declare hopeless and helpless, unhappy.
b. Objective Data: look sad, irritable, agitated, unable to control impulses.


Nursing Diagnosis for Depression

1. Risk for Self Harm related to depression
2. Depression related to maladaptive coping.


Nursing Interventions for Depression

General Purpose: Clients do not self-injure.

Specific Purpose:

1. Clients can build a trusting relationship

Action:

• Introduce yourself to the client
• Interact with the patient as much as possible with the four attitudes.
• Listen to patient statements, patient manner, empathy and use more non-verbal language. For example: a touch, a nod of the head.
• Note the patient talks and give responses according to her wishes.
• Speak with a low tone of voice, clear, concise, simple and easy to understand.
• Accept the patient is without comparing with others.

2. Clients can use adaptive coping

Action:

• Give encouragement to express his feelings and said that nurses understand what the patient feels.
• Ask the patient the usual way to overcome feeling sad / painful.
• Discuss with patients the benefits of coping used.
• With patients looking for alternatives coping.
• Encourage the patient to choose the most appropriate coping and acceptable.
• Encourage the patient to try to coping have been.
• Instruct the patient to try other alternatives in solving the problem.

3. Clients are protected from self injuring behavior

Action:

• Monitor carefully the risk of suicide / self-mutilation.
• Keep and store the tools that can be used by patients to injure himself / others, in a safe and locked.
• Keep the tool material harm to the patient.
• Supervise and place the patient in a room that is easily monitored by nurses.

4. Clients can increase self-esteem

Action:

• Help to understand that the client can overcome despair.
• Assess and internal sources mobilized individuals.
• Help to identify the sources of expectations (eg, interpersonal relationships, beliefs, things to be resolved).

5. Clients can use social support

Action:

• Assess and use individual external sources (those closest to the team of health care, support groups, religious affiliation).
• Assess support systems beliefs (values, past experiences, religious activities, religious beliefs).
• Make referrals as indicated (eg, counseling, religious leaders).

6. Clients can use the medication correctly and appropriately

Action:

• Discuss medications (name, frequency, effects and side effects of medication).
• Help for using drugs; really patient, medication, method, period.
• Encourage talking about the effects and side effects are felt.
• Give positive reinforcement when using the drug properly.