Comments on: help with depression: track your mood http://www.moritherapy.org/article/help-with-depression-track-your-mood/ making lives better, making better lives Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:02:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Jenn Rae http://www.moritherapy.org/article/help-with-depression-track-your-mood/comment-page-1/#comment-644403 Jenn Rae Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:02:35 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/help-with-depression-track-your-mood/#comment-644403 Hello Isabella, I agree with your comment. CBT has it's place but is by no means the be-all-and-end-all for depression. I have found it somewhat helpful for some people, and that's the most I can say. I have recently been using ACT (acceptance & commitment therapy) in my practice as a family physician working in a large university health clinic and have found this far more effective for my particular patient base than CBT. In fact, I find that CBT can sometimes be counterproductive for patients with a tendency towards being overly analytical - what these people need is NOT more thinking (and subsequently trying to "think their way out of their depression"), but rather, to feel their feelings and learn some new skills, such as acceptance. To some extent, low moods are a feature of everyday life, and it may well be that depressed persons have a decreased ability to tolerate sad feelings - ironically, I have found that the less one tries to fight one's feelings, the more likely those feelings are to subside over time. In the end, each person must find their own way through depression to peace-of-mind, and that way may include medication or therapy (or various kinds) - and often both. To think that there is "one way" to fix anything is narrow-minded, to say the least! I have enjoyed your site! All the best, Jenn Rae, MD Hello Isabella,

I agree with your comment. CBT has it’s place but is by no means the be-all-and-end-all for depression. I have found it somewhat helpful for some people, and that’s the most I can say.

I have recently been using ACT (acceptance & commitment therapy) in my practice as a family physician working in a large university health clinic and have found this far more effective for my particular patient base than CBT. In fact, I find that CBT can sometimes be counterproductive for patients with a tendency towards being overly analytical – what these people need is NOT more thinking (and subsequently trying to “think their way out of their depression”), but rather, to feel their feelings and learn some new skills, such as acceptance.

To some extent, low moods are a feature of everyday life, and it may well be that depressed persons have a decreased ability to tolerate sad feelings – ironically, I have found that the less one tries to fight one’s feelings, the more likely those feelings are to subside over time. In the end, each person must find their own way through depression to peace-of-mind, and that way may include medication or therapy (or various kinds) – and often both. To think that there is “one way” to fix anything is narrow-minded, to say the least!

I have enjoyed your site!

All the best,

Jenn Rae, MD

]]> By: isabella mori http://www.moritherapy.org/article/help-with-depression-track-your-mood/comment-page-1/#comment-98507 isabella mori Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:12:30 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/help-with-depression-track-your-mood/#comment-98507 dr. benjamin, thanks for your comment. i noticed you left the exact same comment on the guardian's post on <a href="http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/archives/2007/05/24/implant_to_relieve_depression.html" rel="nofollow">implants for depression</a>. at any rate, your take on prevention and treatment is interesting. i'd be interested in hearing how this distinction has been instrumental in helping your clients. i am not sure that CBT is the be-all and end-all of preventing depression but it certainly works for quite a few people. i'm looking forward to exploring your sites. dr. benjamin, thanks for your comment. i noticed you left the exact same comment on the guardian’s post on implants for depression.
at any rate, your take on prevention and treatment is interesting. i’d be interested in hearing how this distinction has been instrumental in helping your clients.

i am not sure that CBT is the be-all and end-all of preventing depression but it certainly works for quite a few people. i’m looking forward to exploring your sites.

]]> By: Dr. Michael Benjamin http://www.moritherapy.org/article/help-with-depression-track-your-mood/comment-page-1/#comment-95950 Dr. Michael Benjamin Fri, 08 Jun 2007 14:53:01 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/help-with-depression-track-your-mood/#comment-95950 Hi I have been working with Depression for 38 years. There are two aspects about treating depression. How do we cure it? How do we prevent it? They are not the same. No matter how we may cure depression this will not prevent depression. Why is it so important to prevent depression? Depression reoccurs. People who have the tendency to be depressed suffer from a permanent poor quality of life. I no longer believe that Medications to be a panacea. They may cure depression. They do not increase quality of life. But this begs a very serious question. When is someone depressed and not merely very sad? When do we cure? When do we prevent? As a rule of thumb we can use functioning. If sadness is such that there is an objective limitation of functioning then we should address the problem as ’curing depression’. If a person is sad but is not suffering a limitation in functioning then we should address the problem as ‘preventing depression’. VNS, ECT, and Medications cure depression. They do not really prevent it. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, prevents it. It really is as simple as that. If you want a fuller insight into how CBT works, or how CBT can be offered online please refer to my free Online site http://www.myRay.com If you wish to understand more about: Thoughts, feelings, emotions, moods, depression, what it means, what re your choices and how to choose please refer to my free online site http://www.MyDoctorExplains.com Both sites, http://myRay.com and http://MyDoctorExplains.com are non commercial and free. Use them as often and as long as you so wish. With kindest regards. Dr. Michael Benjamin, Psychiatrist Hi
I have been working with Depression for 38 years.
There are two aspects about treating depression. How do we cure it? How do we prevent it?
They are not the same. No matter how we may cure depression this will not prevent depression.
Why is it so important to prevent depression?
Depression reoccurs. People who have the tendency to be depressed suffer from a permanent poor quality of life.
I no longer believe that Medications to be a panacea. They may cure depression. They do not increase quality of life.
But this begs a very serious question. When is someone depressed and not merely very sad? When do we cure? When do we prevent?
As a rule of thumb we can use functioning. If sadness is such that there is an objective limitation of functioning then we should address the problem as ’curing depression’.
If a person is sad but is not suffering a limitation in functioning then we should address the problem as ‘preventing depression’.
VNS, ECT, and Medications cure depression. They do not really prevent it.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, prevents it.
It really is as simple as that.
If you want a fuller insight into how CBT works, or how CBT can be offered online please refer to my free Online site http://www.myRay.com
If you wish to understand more about: Thoughts, feelings, emotions, moods, depression, what it means, what re your choices and how to choose please refer to my free online site http://www.MyDoctorExplains.com
Both sites, http://myRay.com and http://MyDoctorExplains.com are non commercial and free.
Use them as often and as long as you so wish.
With kindest regards.
Dr. Michael Benjamin,
Psychiatrist

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