Remission in depression, how do I know that I am improving?

Remission in depression refers to that phase in which depressive symptoms are disappearing.. It is important to know that the psychological approach at this stage is crucial. Promoting the patient’s complete recovery without residual signs remaining is decisive, hence the importance of the person continuing to be involved in this part of the therapeutic path.

We point this out for something notable: in many cases, There are those who, feeling much better, choose to abandon therapy and return to their daily lives.. Doing it this way can be a serious mistake because, on average, it tends to reveal hidden symptoms, negative thoughts that refuse to leave, emotions that remain embedded to the point of overshadowing many of the advances achieved.

Leaving Residual Symptoms Unaddressed in Remitting Depression Can Be Serious. Thus, in a study carried out at the University of Oviedo, based on a survey of 1,332 Spanish psychiatrists, it was shown that between 20 and 40% of patients prematurely abandon treatments/interventions.

They do it as soon as they perceive a certain remission in depression. Now what does this translate into? What happens is that the risk of relapse appearing months later increases, with the threat of chronicity emerging on the horizon. Let’s delve a little deeper into this topic and into those signs that demonstrate good progress in the therapy process.

Remission in depression: these are the symptoms

Remission in depression and subsequent full recovery is possible. Beyond the type of depression, the person and the triggers, today we have multiple tools to address it. On the one hand, we have the pharmacological approach and, above all, psychological therapy. The latter is the most valuable and effective strategy.

In addition, We are facing a condition with multifactorial etiology and heterogeneous clinical picture.. The firm commitment of the patient in the therapeutic process and, in turn, of a specialized professional is needed. The final objective of this alliance with each other is not at all to ensure that the person regains happiness. It is something deeper, useful and meaningful.

The aim is for the patient to regain functionality and the desire to live.. It is expected that she will be able to perform her daily tasks as she did before the onset of depression. Likewise, we want the person to be able to apply their own skills to face difficulties, to manage their emotions, to have control of their thoughts. That is the real goal. Let’s see, however, what the symptoms of remission in depression are.

Cognitive symptoms

Cognitive symptoms refer to mental processes: ability to solve problems, reflect, maintain attention, remember data, etc. To identify and gauge advances in the treatment of depression, we will always start from the patient’s diagnosis. That is to say, someone with major depression is not the same as someone who shows some symptoms of dysthymia.

However, these are on average some clues in the referral:

He begins to show interest in the tasks he previously performed, such as work. He is able to get involved in simple tasks and finish them. They stop procrastinating. Their ability to reflect improves, they are now able to identify negative thought patterns.

emotional symptoms

The mood and even The perception we have of ourselves is greatly damaged when we fall into the abyss of a depressive process.. Some of the significant advances are usually the following:

The patient you feel less irritable.The feeling of despondency and constant negativity is fading. They begin to be able to enjoy what they used to like.Hopelessness is reduced. They are able to look at the immediate future and make plans. They no longer focus so intensely on the negative aspects of their life. There are still moments of sadness, but they are less frequent, they can stop focusing only on themselves to pay attention to what surrounds them, talk to family, spend pleasant moments with friends. Now they don’t feel so uselessthat negative view they had of themselves is gradually being reduced.

Remission in depression: organic and behavioral symptoms

To evaluate progress in therapy, it is also important to look not only at the patient’s behavior, but also at It is essential to address physical and organic factors.

What do we mean by the latter? We refer to your health and those changes that generally appear when a person suffers from a mood disorder. Let’s analyze those advances that should be present:

Organic symptoms

Improved night rest (insomnia or excessive sleeping is reduced).Improvement in nutrition (appetite is recovered or correct eating habits are recovered). The patient stops feeling so exhausted. He also stops showing so much slowness in his movements.

Behavioral symptoms

They recover activities again that used to make them feel good, such as playing sports. They feel up to going for a walk or shopping. In some cases, they can even enjoy sexual activity again. They feel up to going back to work.

To conclude, only one aspect is worth highlighting. Remission in depression is a decisive phase in which the patient and psychologist must continue working to achieve total remission.. This will occur when the person does not show any type of depressive symptoms, which will result in a complete recovery of their usual activity in different environments: personal, family, social or work.

It is also important that you focus again on your life projects and desires. Lastly, and no less important, is that remission is maintained over time, in the absence of relapses.

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