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It's easier for both health professionals and most of their
patients to use drugs as a substitute for improving relationships.
Medication with alcohol or nicotine, anti-depressants or stimulants are easier than applying intelligence,
focus and analytical skills to complex relationship situations.
Although drugs
are cheaper for the patient (in the short term) and profitable
for health professionals, the long-term consequences and side-effects of
psychoactive drugs are unacceptable to an increasing number of health professionals and
to their patients.
Are you depressed?
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If you feel depressed, we recommend
that you visit a medical doctor or clinical psychologist, especially
if you consider harming yourself or others. If you are not a health
professional, we strongly recommend that you refer people with signs of
depression to an appropriate professional.
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Depression is part of adult life. Symptoms of depression affect about 10% of the world
population. Common causes of depression are unsatisfying relationships and a life
that lacks sense. Depression is associated with
food allergies,
limiting beliefs,
stress,
codependence,
addiction and relationship bonds.
Feeling depressed reduces
your quality of life. If your depression concerns family and relationships, it
may be a systemic problem, originating in your relationships. Depression often
starts in codependent
or symbiotic relationships. Systemic
problems require systemic solutions. You are not alone.
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Depression is the inability to
construct a future
Rollo May |
Depression is often a reminder that something
is missing in your life - or that you are abusing, mistreating or ignoring
important people. Abuse often leads to depression.
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Sometimes depression makes more sense than happiness.
Does your life make sense? A healthy sense of life may
include:
- supportive beliefs
- strong values
- a sense of purpose or vision
- motivation to achieve your vision
- sense of connection to life
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- A healthy mind in a healthy body
- An intimate home with an
appropriate partner
- Nurturing children and projects
to independence
- Finding your place within a community
- A transpersonal sense of connectedness
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You either deal with depression - or with its consequences.
Soulwork systemic coaching can help you have better relationships, life-plans, exercise,
good sleep and diet to prevent and resolve depression.
Depression & Drugs
Managing depression with psychoactive drugs has consequences
that may be worse than depression. Many anti-depressants are addictive and have
unpleasant side effects, especially with
older clients.
The more expensive anti-depressant drugs are
SSRI - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Zoloft,
Prozac or Paxil. These drugs increase serotonin in the brain.
(Many older and cheaper anti-depressants are MAOI or MonoAmine
Oxidase inhibitors, with worse side effects. MAO inhibitors such as Nardil,
Parnate and Marplan may be prescribed when other medications don't work.)
Symptoms of Depression
A depressed person will
likely experience unpleasant moods, thoughts and self-perception. A depressed
person may have difficulty making decisions - day-to-day tasks of paying
bills, caring for children, meeting people and returning phone calls may
seem overwhelming.
If the following symptoms are present each day for a few
weeks; and interfere with daily activities such as your work, self-care,
child-care, sleep or social life; consider getting help:
Sadness, anxiety, emptiness, restless and irritable Feeling hopeless, helpless or pessimistic Feeling guilt, worthlessness, helplessness Little interest or pleasure in romantic and sexual activity Little interest or pleasure in activities that you once enjoyed Loss of interest or pleasure in your work or profession Decreased energy, fatigue - you're always tired Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions Insomnia and/or major sleep changes Appetite and/or major weight changes Preoccupied with death or suicide
Depression, Disease & Guilt
Many people who suffer from mental diseases become
depressed. People at higher risk of depression include those suffering from
schizophrenia,
bipolar disorder,
codependence or
mental illness.
Systemic coaching perceives depression as a healthy response to an unhealthy
environment and/or chaotic relationships. A common issue underlying chronic
depression is guilt, which can result if you:
- abused or were abused by someone who blames you
- betrayed or abandoned someone important (violating trust, e.g.
abandoning a child)
- mistake one person for another, for example perceiving an
ex-partner as an abandoned child
Managing Guilt
If you withhold emotions, sooner or later, you express them.
Depression often results from withholding guilt.
This guilt may reflect your regret for abuse, abandonment, betrayal etc - or
guilt may be a result of transferences, such as Parental Alienation
Syndrome (PAS), sexual abuse or
emotional incest.
Short Term Solutions
You may try to control guilt and depression with
distractions (TV, videos, gambling, etc), psychoactive medications
(including nicotine, alcohol and caffeine) and dissociation (withdrawal,
self-hypnosis and suggestion). Such emotional
control is short-term; continued use of drugs or distractions often results in
obsessions and addictions - without resolving the underlying depression.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (Electroshock - ECT)
ECT is the passing an electric current through
the brain to cause a convulsion. Electroshock is used to treat
patients with depression, mania and sometimes schizophrenia,
especially for people who do not respond well to, or abreact to,
medications.
Side Effects of ECT include electrocution, brain damage,
memory loss, increased distractibility, difficulty with multiple tasks,
trouble with arithmetic and language, nausea and headaches. See
Electroshock by Dr John Breeding.
Consult a physician about
medical conditions.
Emotional Intelligence & Maturity
Guilt is often expressed as depression, which may result
in nervous breakdown or suicide attempts. Long-term systemic solutions require
that if you have hurt others, that you clarify and balance this hurt, and/or that
you change any relationship entanglements. See
emotional maturity.
Intelligence is not always healthy. Some intelligent people
become depressed if they perceive problems or
trends that less intelligent people do not perceive - especially if they cannot find
effective solutions.
Systemic coaching can help you evaluate your relationships:
- Relationship Diagnosis:
assess present relationships and consequences of relationships
- Goal Diagnosis: assess future
consequences of expectations and goals
Systemic Solutions
Long-term resolution of guilt and depression requires
emotional maturity. Solutions can be found and
tested during systemic diagnosis. Each
symptom can be cross-referenced with history,
relationship diagnosis, non-verbal communications and goal
diagnosis. Then a changework plan can be made for the long-term resolution
or control of depression or other unpleasant symptoms.
Relationship Coaching ...
Systemic Coach Training ...
Your Next Step
Do you want effective coaching or systemic coach training?
Do you want to coach people to enjoy success and quality relationships? Do you
want to help people fulfill their dreams? Contact us.
Copyright © 2001-2008 by Martyn
Carruthers. All rights reserved. |
Training Partners :
Relationship Coaching
: Coach Training
: Specialty Training :
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FAQ
or telephone: +4 860 275 8295 or +38 591 881 2682