Wiblog Therapy

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 19 January 2010 22:22:50

Depression Management

Session 1

In my Depression Management course I would usually start with the 'getting to know one another and understanding depression' bit.  However, as I am being a little self-indulgent here, I am not doing that!  Instead, I am going to look at a simple tecnique we use at work which I have also found reccommended in many texts -

 

Deep breathing

Yes, that is what I said!

 

My favourite version of this is called the 7/11 breathing method  (Simply because I find it easy to remember the numbers by picturing a Spar-type convenience store). ;)

Here is how it works.

1)  If possible, find somewhere quiet so that you can sit / lie and relax. 

2)  Breath in slowly to the count of 7.  If it helps, put your hands on your tum (abdomen!) and concentrate on breathing in such that this bit, rather than your chest, is the part of your body that expands.  When your tum expands, it shows that you are breathing properly and not taking tense, shallow breaths.

3)  Hold breath briefly, and then breathe out to the count of 11.  Some texts I have read suggest breathing out as far as you can go, then adding a final 'puff' to ensure that your lungs are totally empty.

4)  Rinse and repeat - well, without the rinse bit!

 

Note:  In fact, this can be done without necessarily finding a quiet place.  It is a good way of calming down in public, and is not something that will draw attention to yourself (such as the breathing into a paper bag trick reccommended for panic attacks!)

 

Science bit:  This is usually a technique reccommended more for the anxiety side of mental illness, rather than depression.  Apparantly, it kicks in a the relaxation reflex based on the principle of the 'sigh of relief' when you realise that the scary noise was just the cat knocking something over, and not the apocalypse (for e.g.)!  Also, as long as the out-breath is longer than the in-breath, the technique still works.  It does also work for depression, because it helps with the regulation of some of the happy hormones (details on request!).  Also, I have found there to be quite a bit of crossover between the tools used to  manage depression and those used to cope with anxiety.  This is alsmost certainly because the conditions themselves have alot in common, and one person can certainly be seen to experience aspects of both illnesses at any one time.

 

God bit:  Something that can help is to imagine that you are breathing in happy/holy/God-type stuff and breathing out negative/angry/stressy stuff.  Some texts suggest the breathing in light and breathing out darkness (whatever works for you!)  This deep breathing can work as a form of prayer, if you are happy to approach it in this way.

 

So that is my first attempt at imparting my professional wisdom(!) on here.  Let me know if it works. ;)