Avoid Reactive Depression by Learning
to Cope Positively With Life Changes
Recognize the symptoms of reactive depression so you can positively handle stress and other life-altering events.
Reactive depression as the name implies is depression in direct relation to some event in a person's life. It is also called adjustment disorder with depressed mood.
The symptoms of reactive depression can last for a relatively short period of time, from two weeks to six months, however if the cause is still present treatment can last much longer.
The symptoms of reactive depression are similar to many other types of depression, although they most closely mirror those of clinical depression.
Unlike most types of depression, the person normally gets over reactive depression on their own as they learn to cope with the event that causes it.
Birth of a child, death or witnessing a traumatic event can cause reactive depression.
While treatment options are similar to other depression, the root cause of the reaction depression must be addressed.
Self-help is important in treating reactive depression as in many instances change is needed.
Nancy Miller's self-help guide, "7 Steps to a Depression Free Life" provides invaluably information to help you learn coping techniques so use to overcome reactive depression.
She states that it is important to monitor your mood to speed recovery from depression: "An important aspect of recovery from depression is to monitor your mood and take action quickly. It is much easier to do something at the beginning of feeling down than when you have already fallen into the pit."
To properly monitor your mood you will need to enlist the assistance of someone you trust. This person will let you know when you seem down or are being pessimistic about life.