3. Hyperbole: Depression Part One and Depression Part Two
Psychoeducation Principles and Reflections
Psychoeducation is a broad term within psychiatric rehabilitation practice. As the Bond and Anderson article (2015) assert, the practice of psychoeducation can include just the individual with mental illness, just the family and/or caregivers, or a combination of the three. Additionally, psychoeducation can be done with groups or with individuals. There are many models, but in general, the content ranges from providing information about medication, to information about mental illness, and managing life and symptoms (Bond & Anderson, 2015). The article cited above conducted a meta-analysis of many different psychoeducation programs, and concluded that in general, groups of people who went through a program together tended to have better outcomes (e.g., fewer symptoms, fewer relapses) than if the individual practitioner conducted psychoeducation with an individual patient (Bond & Anderson, 2015). The second article available on Blackboard detailed a qualitative study done in...
“Perhaps it was because I lacked the emotional depth necessary to panic, or maybe my predicament didn’t feel dramatic enough to make me suspicious, but I somehow managed to convince myself that everything was still under my control right up until I noticed myself wishing that nothing loved me so I wouldn’t feel obligated to keep existing.” pg 136
ReplyDeleteThis quote really made me stop and think about everything and anything. It made me realize that when depression becomes so bad that suicide becomes an option, the biggest reason someone doesn’t commit suicide even though they don’t want to be on Earth anymore, is because they have at least one person here that loves them. That person wouldn’t want to kill themselves because they would hurt the one person who loves them even more then they already hurt. The very end of the quote when she said “so I wouldn’t feel obligated to keep existing” hit me hard. It put suicide into perspective for me. Many people who are suicidal get to the point that they are just existing, they aren't living, but existing. Its sad to think about the people who go from living a happy life to then have something so drastic happen to them that they no longer live to be happy, they live to merely exist. They stay here for almost always just one reason, no matter what the reason, its a big enough reason for them to not give up. They continue existing until they can get their feet under them enough so they can begin living again.
I think it's so important for everyone to have someone who is always there for them as long as the relationship doesn't become harmful to one or both parties. Sometimes its not healthy for one person to have all that weight put on them. It is however beneficial when that individual can get their feet under them enough so they begin living instead of just existing!
Delete"is because they have at least one person here that loves them." Social supports are so important. Even when someone is standing on a bridge about to jump, a stranger can be that support that lifts that person down. I think it is easy to forget we have supports sometimes because our lives get so crazy and we ourselves forget to reach out and communicate with our friends. Sometimes its life that makes people fall into depression because it is so demanding.
Delete"It's weird for people who still have feelings to be around depressed people. They try to help you have feelings again so things can go back to normal and it's frustrating for them when that doesn't happen. From their perspective, it seems like there has got to be some untapped source of happiness within you that you've simply lost track of, and if you could just see how beautiful things are..." This quote is so relatable except I'm that person that tries to make everyone feel happy and look at the bright side. I am going to be completely honest, I don't know how to act or what to say around individuals who are depressed. I just try and be there. What I have found is that individuals who are depressed tend to find something to put the blame on like not being able to find a job, or struggles with school, etc. but then my instinct is to problem solve instead of just being supportive. Like at the time I know they really don't want my help. It's extremely tough and I can't imagine what it feels like to be on the other side.
ReplyDeleteThis was my second favorite quote from this chapter! Personally, I have been on the other side, and I had people like you who surrounded me and did exactly what the quote says. When I was at that point in my life I pushed all those people away from me, I was confident that I had no happiness left in me and I didn't want all these happy go lucky people around me trying to find something in me that was no longer there. But now that I've dug myself out of my hole and can stand and look back on that part of my life, I realize how awful I was to those people and how much they really did help me, even though they knew I didn't want their help. I pushed them away so many times, yet for some reason they always came back. Honestly, if they didn't continually come back, I don't know where or who I would be right now. I owe my life to them. So continue to be the person you are, no matter what anyone says, be you!
DeleteI couldn't agree more with Kylie! Besides the quote I posted about in that time in my life, I too have always seen the good in life. I always try to stay positive and brighten up everyone's day who is around me. And I get to tongue tied or awkward you can say when I am around people who are depressed. For the longest time I just wanted to shake the depressed out of them and be like "you're living life, what could possibly be so wrong". But thankfully I have become more educated on depression and now know what happens psychologically and mentally that I have a better understanding.
DeleteI related to this quote as well. When someone I know tells me they've been going through a difficult time or have been feeling really sad, my first instinct is usually to throw my two sense in and offer as many things as I can think of that might help them feel better. I do this because I am trying to offer my support and help them feel better. However, this quote really made me think about how they might be feeling. Maybe they don't want my suggestions or my solutions to their problem. Maybe all they need is for me to listen, acknowledge how they are feeling/what they are going through, and just be supportive to them.
Delete"Essentially, I was being robbed of my right to feel self-pity, which is the only redeeming part of sadness. And for a little bit, that was a good enough reason to pity myself". (pg. 99) This quote was so relatable to me because I used to feel as though I wasn't allowed to have pity on myself. That it was frowned upon in my family to let myself feel sorry for me. And that because I couldn't feel pity for myself, that I was sad because I couldn't . This quote brought back old feelings and touched home a little bit and made me realize that Im glad made it known to my family that it was okay to have pity on myself.
ReplyDelete"The problem might not even have a solution. But you aren't necessarily looking for solutions. You're maybe just looking for someone to say 'Sorry about how dead your fish are,' or 'Wow, those are super dead. I still like you, though.'" (pg. 135) The "dead fish" are the past ideas or hopeful solutions that did not help stop Allie's depression. This quote stood out to me because it made me think about how important validation is. All Allie wants is for people to acknowledge and validate what she is feeling, instead of trying to push their ideas and feelings onto her. If everyone around you is telling you how you should change and not validating your feelings, you're going to begin to feel like you are all alone and nobody understands how you feel. And that will eventually led to you not wanting to try any solutions. I also really like the last sentence of the quote. If people are constantly not validating how you feel and offering all these solutions to "problems", it can have a negative impact on your self-esteem. A person is more than what society sees as their "flaws" and "imperfections". I think that from time to time we all need some sort of validation or reassurance that people will still like you despite your "flaws". Nobody is perfect.
ReplyDelete"But as I grew older, it became harder and harder to access that expansive imaginary space that made my toys fun. I remember looking at them and feeling sort of frustrated and confused that things weren't that same," page 122. I really felt connected to this quote. It is so frustrating to be an adult and take on adult responsibilities to just sit there and wish life was as easy as your adolescent days when all you did was play with toys. Not only play with toys, but to be able to use your mind to create a world that only encompasses you and the people or things you want in there. I think as we grow older, we shut out that imaginary creative part of our mind as we age into teenage years because that is associated with childhood and you don't want to be a child when you're trying to transform into a teen. I feel like if we could convince ourselves that was OK to keep, life would be a lot funner and easier.
ReplyDeleteThis quote makes me think of Peter Pan and The Lost Boys. Peter Pan goes to Neverland because he doesn't want to grow up because when you grow up you lose you imagination or child self. I really like the quote you chose and can definitely relate. Especially living through it.
DeleteI really enjoyed "it's more just this detached, meaningless fog where you can't feel anything about anything- even the things you love, even the fun things-and you're horribly bored and lonely, but since you've lost your ability to connect with any of the things that would normally make you feel less bored and lonely, you're stuck in the boring, lonely, meaningless void" (page 299 ibook). This quote related to how I felt when I was going through my depression the beginning of High School. You literally feel nothing you once did. You're so detached from everything and you tell yourself "lets move, lets go do something", but you just can't. You literally are this so called "fog".
ReplyDelete