This document provides information and strategies for coping with depression. It discusses common causes of depression like genetics, childhood trauma, medical conditions and life stressors. It emphasizes focusing on controlling thoughts and behaviors rather than external factors. Specific coping strategies recommended include proper sleep, diet, mindfulness, exercise, developing a daily schedule and identifying a supportive social network. The document stresses catching and challenging negative thoughts, forgiving oneself, and visualizing positive goals and outcomes.

1. When you can’t snap out of it:
Finding your way through
depression
Dr. Lou Bevilacqua
484-678-0525
Dr.bevilacqua@verizon.net
www.drlouonline.com

2. After tonight
1. You will know the benefits to
1a. Focusing on what you can control and
1b. Focusing on solutions
2. What you CAN do to feel good
3. How to create the change you want

3. What are some problems
people struggle with?

4. What’s the difference?
 How can one person struggle and
another not struggle so much?

5. Causes of depression
and anxiety
 Born with it
 Low SE - low mental energy, negativity,
rumination
 Low DA – low interest/motivation/pleasure
 Low NE – low arousal/lethargy
Is it possible to change this?

6. Early childhood abuse
and/or neglect
 Learn to be insecure re: self and with
caretakers
 Ongoing stress makes small things big deals
 Don’t expect much from others
 Hyper-vigilance and trouble turning stress off
 Difficulty self-soothing or having rational self-
talk

7. PTSD
 Trauma is vividly learned and easily
remembered
 Helplessness can become self-
reinforcing
 Panic, generalized anxiety,
helplessness
 Depression

8. Situational Causes
 Losses of any kind
 Chronic stress (Ready, Set, Set, Set…)
 Burn out (physical and mental)
 Isolation

9. What is depression?
 Isolating, withdraw
 Poor eating and/or sleeping patterns
 Depressed, flat mood, lack of energy, lack of motivation
 Sense of hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt
 Loss of interest or pleasure
 Lack of confidence, self-doubt
 Wishing I was no longer around

10. We react to our moods
 Mood triggers are memories of when
mood was created
 We have A.N.T.S.
 Automatic
 Negative
 Thoughts

11. A CLIENT’S PERSPECTIVE
“I’m so useless/worthless”
“I just don’t care” – “I have no energy”
“All I want to do is sleep/eat/be alone”
“I can never do anything right”
“Things will never work out for me”

12. COGNITIVE MODEL
OF DEPRESSION
Thoughts
 
Behaviors  Feelings

 Each interact and influence the other but it is how we construe
or perceive a situation or event that determines our feelings (Ellis,
1962; Beck, 1964)

13. Focusing on what
you can control.
 Why “WHY?” is less important than
“Now What?”
 - A day at the beach

14. Top ideas for the person
struggling
TAKE MEDS
TAKE MORE MEDS

15. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 Sleep and eating are essential
 Mindfulness (Take the time – you’re worth it)
 PMR
 Breathing
 Restores blood flow to gut
 Minimizes anxious arousal
 Breathe2relax is a great app

16. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 Physical activity to relax (releases
tension)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
zhjNm20XbXw

17. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 Practice noticing the positives each day
 “Filler up” What restores you?
 Daily gratitude list

18. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 Notice your perspective
 Practice challenging, refuting and
replacing the inner critic
 Verbally or through Journaling

19. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 Develop and follow a daily activity
schedule
 Provides purpose, sense of
accomplishment
 Focus on values not feelings
 Values are stable vs feelings change

20. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 I Prefer vs “I have to”
 Perfectionism as a way to reduce
anxiety
 Good enough = good enough
 Progress is better than perfect
completion later
 How else can I reach my goal

21. Prioritizing
URGENT
IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT
NOT URGENT
URGENT
NOT IMPORTANT
NOT IMPORTANT
NOT URGENT

22. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 Identify red flags to struggling
 Thoughts, activities and situations
 When depressed vs feeling good
 Learn to predict times and situations that
trigger struggles
 Family gatherings
 Have a plan

23. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 Identify support system and what
makes each person supportive
 Wegmans vs. Goodyear
 Share strategies with support system
 Importance of communication

24. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 HUGS
 Oxytocin (9 ½ seconds)
 Calmness
 Reduces pain
 Strengthens immune system
 Reduce cortisol
 Decreases urges and drug abuse

25. Top ideas for the person
struggling
 To not forgive
 Is like drinking poison
 And hoping someone
 else gets sick and dies

26. If you are a support person
 Listen
 Validate and accept the persons’ struggle
 Continuum Concept
 Agree on what is helpful from the point of view
of the person who is struggling
 Model positive self-care (w/o pointing a finger)

27. Why Change is hard
 Automatic thoughts and automatic
reactions
 Role of habit –
“Move Your Trashcan”

28. Beliefs – the root of change
 Origins of beliefs
 How do you want to feel
 Can’t get somewhere if you don’t
know the address

29. What you resist will persist
 It’s about starting something vs
stopping something
 Focus on what you want

30. This is what I want
 If a miracle occurred?
 Visualize it, draw it, write it out

31. Yesterday is your memory.
Tomorrow is your dream.
Today is your opportunity.
What will you make of it?

32. ANY QUESTIONS????

33. THANK YOU !!!!!
DR.BEVILACQUA@VERIZON.NET
484-678-0525
WWW.DRLOUONLINE.COM