Treatment or Solution to cure Reactive Depression
Reactive depression refers to an emotional disorder that happens due to a specific event that occurs in life. It is usually so overwhelming that it leads to sadness that develops and lingers at least for six months after the event that caused it. It differs from clinical, or major depression, in that it is usually caused by outside sources, while major depression is often the result of an imbalance within the body. The latter is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention to avoid more negative results, like suicide.
Reactive depression is not to be treated lightly itself. It requires attention from a psychological professional, or it could evolve into major depression, drug use, or even suicide.
Triggers:
Reactive depression is usually triggered by stress brought on by a life-changing, traumatic event, such as a divorce, the breakup of a relationship, the loss of a job, the loss of a loved one, or the diagnosis of a serious, incurable disease, whether for one's own self or a close relative or friend. Overwhelming feelings of sadness develop, usually because of the sudden nature of the change, and the profound feelings of loss left in its wake. This feeling of sadness results as the sufferer struggles to cope with the vacuum created by the change, or the loss.
Symptoms:
According to the Everyday Health website, the common symptoms of this disorder are a general feeling of being depressed; frequent crying; a sense of hopelessness about the future, and nervousness. The victim may also manifest physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, a stomach ache or headache. He may also experience insomnia, fatigue, and engage in alcohol or drug abuse.
Types of Persons Most Prone:
According to the Am-I-Depressed website, the individuals most vulnerable to reactive depression are people with Type-A personalities, such as perfectionists; people with a low opinion of themselves, and a high expectations of both themselves and others; and people with a highly competitive spirit. These are the type of people who tend to take failure to meet expectations harder than those who do not possess this personality type.
Treatment:
The goal of any treatment program should be to assist the patient in developing healthy coping mechanisms to deal with realities that may be unalterable, as the Depression Stats website suggests. One-on-one counseling, as well as group talk therapy may be used as treatment. Also, as is the case with full-blown major depression, antidepressants may be prescribed, as well as medicine to treat insomnia, which, in turn, could affect the affected person's ability to work during the day.
Solution:
In some cases, journaling can be a release. This is an exercise that consists of the sufferer of reactive depression writing down his thoughts and feelings
concerning the event that caused the condition. In the loss of a parent, beloved aunt, uncle, or other relative, it may help to engage in scrapbooking. This enables the person to pay their respects to the memory of the lost loved one in his own special way.
For others, engaging in exercise, such as yoga, jogging, or walking is an effective stress reliever. While it may not bring about a change of events to the way things were before the change occurred, it can help the person suffering from the disease more effectively cope with the "new normal," and return to life as usual in the
context of that new paradigm. Stated another way, a recently divorced person may still be faced with life without his partner, but the coping mechanisms discussed in this post may help him better adjust to life without his former spouse.
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