How to Become a Doctor of Depression (or anxiety, insomnia, marital communication, parenting, work satisfaction, bereavement, forgiveness, etc.)

Okay, not really. But you can become an informed and insightful expert into your own problem. And that can lead to more satisfaction and happiness in your life. So approach your obstacles like a grad student would:

1. Pick My Brain  –  Some of my patients come to each meeting with a list of questions for me. They are invariably very good questions and often lead to some lively discussion. This inspires me to keep learning as well. For instance, I was asked about why mood is often worse in the morning for those with depression, and after researching I was surprised to find we haven’t really found an answer to that yet.  Don’t be afraid to ask about your medication and how it works, the side effects, alternatives, different therapies, etc.
2. Pick Other Folk’s Brains  –   I find that patients who are the most willing to ask everyone they know about their condition to find out what works for others often have the best prognosis. To be verbal about one’s challenges and be open-minded towards others goes a long way in the healing process. Most people are more than willing and feel good about sharing what works for them. As bewildering as it is to be cornered at a party and asked my opinion on how to treat someone’s nephew, the impulse to obtain information is admirable to me.
3. Read  –  there are some great books out there to read on emotional and mental health, from various disciplines.  I will give some of my recommendations in future posts.
4. Go to the Movies – there have also been some wonderful depictions in the media of depression, manic-depression, schizophrenia, OCD, etc. One way the film works is through helping us develop more empathy by helping us get into someone else’s “shoes”.
5. Read the Research – articles come out on the Internet every day about any topic under the sun. Just be sure that you approach everything with a somewhat skeptical and discerning eye. Use objective reasoning. First off, ask yourself if this person or entity is trying to sell you something.
6. Develop a Hypothesis  –  make a guess as to why you are struggling with this particular problem. The most likely hypothesis  is most often the correct one. But if that doesn’t feel right to you, don’t settle. Not long ago schizophrenia and autism were considered caused by poor mothering. That was a theory that traumatized many parents needlessly. Come up with your own cause and develop a solution based on it.
7. Do the Research  –  I encourage you to use yourself as a test subject. When you try a new therapy or medication, keep track of the data. Use a mood calendar and some rating scales. Show how and why something does or doesn’t work for YOU, regardless of what the other research out there shows.  If you give something time and it doesn’t work at all, move on.
8. Journal  – If you have the inclination, writing about your experiences is good therapy for you AND others. Having to put things in order to communicate about them helps you compartmentalize them and better analyze them at the same time. And by sharing your experience (teaching),  others can feel understood and become more informed about their own symptoms.
9. Give Yourself a Grade  –  how hard are you trying to learn, grow, and overcome your problems? Are you diligent or getting a little lazy and hoping someone will figure it out for you? Don’t worry about what other people think, grade yourself on your own criteria. If you don’t measure up to your own expectations, why? What can you do about it?

I hope this is all food for thought.  I would love your comments.

Shelley Ham MD