Occupational Therapy & Depression

Occupational therapy helps individuals perform daily tasks in order to live a healthier life. Depression can be a debilitating disease. While medications may work wonderfully for some, it's important for the individual to recognize that he can also benefit from occupational therapy. Medication in conjunction with therapy may prove to more effectively treat a patient's condition than either one by itself.
  1. Positive Roles

    • The occupational therapy approach incorporates activities into one's daily schedule that fulfill the various requirements of a role the individual would like to embody. There are many positive roles that the individual can work on--Mother, Father, Worker, Student, Family Member, Friend or Chess Player, for example. By giving himself a task such as "Call my son today to wish him well," or "I will get out of bed today, even if only to brush my teeth," the individual is taking steps to overcome his depression.

    Energy and Action

    • Sometimes depression weighs so heavily that the individual struggles even to lift her head from the pillow. An occupational therapist will help an individual identify the roadblocks keeping her from living a fulfilling life, help her replace bad habits with good ones and "prescribe" certain behaviors to help her increase her ability to live a healthier life. In "Elegant Choices, Healthy Choices," Dr. Martha Sinetar states that if the depressed individual can find the smallest amount of strength--even just enough to intentionally move her eyes--she is taking a healthy step.

    Making Choices

    • By balancing his work, play and relationships, the depressed individual can work toward greater happiness through occupational therapy. It's important for him to know that he still has the power to make choices that affect his life, and to acknowledge that accomplishing even minor tasks is a step toward overcoming depression. Occupational therapy can provide a helping hand.

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