5 Pieces of Damaging Advice for Treating Depression

There’s plenty of advice on treating depression. There are thousands of books, blog posts and magazine articles. Everyone seems to have an opinion. Try this herb or vitamin. Avoid sugar. Be grateful. Be more grateful. You just need some fresh air. Go to therapy. Don’t go to therapy—it’s a waste of time and money. Of course, some advice is sincerely spot-on. Some advice seems helpful, but misses the mark for people struggling with clinical depression. And some of it is just plain bad. Which is why we asked psychologists who specialize in depression to share the damaging advice they’ve come across—which you’ll find below. Decide to be happier. Pasadena psychologist Ryan Howes, Ph.D, has heard this advice from many (well-intentioned) loved ones of clients with depression. Maybe they assume the person is simply in a funk or having a bad day, he said. “They don’t get that it’s not that simple, and that [their depression] may have much deeper historical, biochemical, or trauma-based roots that require a much deeper and more intense process than just flipping a switch.” This kind of advice implies that a person has decided to become depressed and it encourages them to wear a mask that keeps them from actually working on and through their issues, Howes said. “Most often, my clients who have tried this approach are only prolonging their suffering as they avoid the hard work of confronting issues they need to address to overcome depression.” A similar piece ...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Depression Disorders Family General Psychotherapy Relationships & Love Self-Help behavioral activation therapy Clinical Depression depression advice Depression Treatment giving advice Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy lo Source Type: news