Self-Management of Depression

Have you ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 2 a.m., replaying a conversation from years ago or questioning your reactions in certain situations? This moment of reflection can either propel you forward or keep you stuck. The difference lies in understanding whether you are engaging in productive introspection or falling into unproductive rumination. Recognizing this distinction is the key to breaking free from emotional stagnation and unlocking genuine personal growth. Introspection: The Upward Spiral Introspection, also called self-reflection, is the process of examining your own thoughts and feelings with a sense of curiosity and purpose. Think of it as being a mental explorer. When you introspect, you ask "what" questions: What am I feeling right now? What triggered this reaction? What are the steps I need to take in the future to do a better job? According to Trapnell and Campbell (1999), introspection is often driven by a healthy interest in the self. It is ...

Have you ever felt like a fraud in your own success story, despite your achievements screaming otherwise? Welcome to the world of impostor syndrome, where even the most accomplished individuals second-guess their abilities and fear being exposed as a ‘fake.’ Emerging from the shadows of self-doubt, this phenomenon affects both men and women and is often rooted in early family dynamics and personal perceptions of worth. But it doesn't have to define your journey. Here, we explore seven strategies that can help you break free from the grip of impostor syndrome and embrace your true capabilities.  1. Name your inner critic: The voice of impostor syndrome is your inner critic, sowing the seeds of self-doubt. This inner critic, like a broken record, irrationally makes you underestimate your capabilities. Although it may seem to be arguing in your best interest, it thrives on fear-based, unrealistic thinking. Label your thoughts or feelings sparked by your inner critic as they occur. Be ...

What is Recovery? The dominance of the medical model in mental health often reduces recovery to merely reaching a certain score on rating scales like the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), which is commonly used to measure depression. This narrow perspective overlooks other vital aspects of recovery beyond clinical response, as shown by many studies (Andresen et al., 2003; Jorge-Monteiro & Ornelas, 2015). Some of these overlooked facets of recovery include: Hope for the future. Re-establishment of a positive identity. Establishment of personally meaningful goals. Taking responsibility for one’s life. Feeling included and connected to others. Feeling empowered. Contributing to community life. Building on this broader understanding, recovery involves managing one’s mental illness, transcending its negative impacts, and striving for a meaningful life. The concept of recovery can vary among individuals, and some common expressions people use to describe their recovery include the ...

If you have felt the urge to offer someone an opinion or solution even when one is not solicited, you have been giving in to what is called the righting reflex—the desire to fix what seems wrong with people and to set them promptly on a better course (Miller & Rollnick, 2013). Though natural and well-intentioned, this urge to fix someone else's problems can significantly damage interpersonal relationships by causing resistance, defensiveness, and resentment. It often hinders effective communication and prevents the other person from finding their own solutions. How the righting reflex negatively affects relationships Creates resistance and defensiveness: When you jump in to fix a problem, the other person can feel like you are criticizing their judgment or ability to handle their own issues. This can lead them to argue against your suggestions or defend their current choices, creating an unproductive conflict. Shifts the dynamic to a parent-child relationship: This behavior po...

Approximately 30% of individuals with depressed mood develop a chronic course as defined by the criteria for persistent depressive disorder (PDD) (Struck et al., 2021). Research shows that depressed individuals have difficulties in handling another person's negative state or suffering, getting overwhelmed in emotionally tense situations, a condition called empathic distress. This leads to an avoidant interpersonal style due to fear of interaction with others, which in turn deprives these individuals of positive interpersonal experiences, thus perpetuating depressive symptoms (Struck et al., 2021). Situational analysis is a technique used in the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP). CBASP is one of the few psychotherapies effective for chronic depression and PDD (Wiersma et al., 2014; Wiersma et al., 2021). CBASP combines behavioral and cognitive strategies with a problem-solving focus and emphasizes interpersonal issues. Its primary goals are to help indivi...

We have all heard the phrase “every cloud has a silver lining,” which suggests that there is something good in every outcome, no matter how difficult or challenging the situation may be. This is also relevant when it comes to using optimism as a tool to overcome depression. When going through the throes of depression with its propensity to see everything in a negative light, being optimistic can be challenging. However, one can still find optimism even in adversity and suffering as did Victor Frankl during his years in the World War II Nazi concentration camp (Frankl, 2006). Frankl describes “tragic optimism” as: Feeling optimistic in the face of tragedy Making the best of any given situation Turning suffering into a human achievement and accomplishment Using guilt as an opportunity to change yourself for the better Using the knowledge that life is transitory as an incentive to take responsible action If you can learn to identify something good in a bad situation, then finding the one...

There are some social rituals that we cannot avoid, especially when interacting with people we don’t know, and nothing is more universally disliked than the ritual of small talk. Small talk is a fine art that balances the use of some better questions to open the conversation and then navigate the talk without lingering on obligatory foundational topics about how one’s weekend was or discussing the weather. If you find yourself avoiding social interactions because you're uncomfortable and embarrassed about small talk, here are eight ways to improve at it and avoid making it awkward or superficial (Duhigg, 2024; Haupt, 2023; Lee, 2025). 1. Ask better questions. To facilitate conversation, avoid conversational dead-end questions that can be responded to in a single word, such as "How was your weekend?" or "How are you?" Also, avoid fact-based questions like "Where do you live?" Instead, ask questions that invite people to elaborate on their experience...

Urge surfing is a mindfulness-based technique to help individuals manage and overcome cravings and impulses. Developed by clinical psychologist Alan Marlatt, urge surfing involves observing and riding out the waves of urges without giving in to them (Marlatt et al., 2004). This technique is particularly useful for individuals dealing with substance abuse, overeating, or other compulsive behaviors (Bowen & Marlatt, 2009). Urge surfing is also a popular emotion regulation skill in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) (Linehan, 2015). Emotions prompt behaviors (e.g., fight in anger, flight in fear) and prepare the body for action. Urges are the precursor to action, and urge surfing curbs emotional triggers that lead to maladaptive actions. Urge surfing is based on the premise that cravings and urges are like waves in the ocean. They rise in intensity, reach a peak, and then gradually subside. By visualizing urges as waves, individuals can learn to "surf" rather than being over...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most proven psychotherapies for depression and anxiety. It involves identifying, challenging, and replacing irrational thought patterns, also called cognitive distortions, with rational thoughts. However, not everyone is successful in doing so. A key reason for this is when one harbors deeper irrational thoughts, called core beliefs, which are harder to change as they sit at a subconscious level.   While identifying your superficial irrational negative thoughts, also called automatic thoughts, as a part of CBT, you may realize that some of these thoughts can be lumped under common themes. These underlying thinking patterns are called core beliefs or schemas. Whereas automatic thoughts are at the surface of your awareness and more straightforward to recognize, core beliefs are not that readily accessed or easily articulated. Core beliefs or schemas represent a set of attitudes, assumptions, conceptions, preferences, goals, and va...

Imagine you are invited to a friend’s house and, upon entering, you see a group of people laughing loudly. You can react to this situation in a couple of ways. You might think something is wrong with your appearance, making you feel that people are laughing at you. Alternatively, you might interpret their laughter as a sign that they are having a good time, and you feel ready to join in the fun. This situation can evoke two responses: one makes you feel embarrassed, while the other makes you happy. So, what causes people to experience various emotions in the same situation? It’s all about how you interpret the scenario. Your beliefs influence your interpretation, which is the “B” in the “ABC” framework we will explore next. Albert Ellis (1962), the founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), introduced the “ABC” framework as a cognitive model for depression. “A” represents an activating event to which an individual responds. This can include current or past events, thoughts, f...