Vanessa said she was depressed when she entered therapy. There was, however, no clear evidence of clinical depression based on formal psychological assessment. When asked why she wanted to be in therapy, she said, “There must something wrong with me. I no longer like to do some of the things I have always done.” In therapy, Vanessa was told it may be quite natural for her to feel little pleasure from these redundant activities. When asked what activities gave her pleasure in life, she had little to offer. Her life, including her marriage, had become quite routine. Vanessa was told depression and unhappiness were not her problem; her activities were her problem, and she was encouraged to become more active in cultivating her marriage, and her relationships with friends and family. She was told how to develop goals and plans for new activities, things that did not relate directly to housework or caring for her husband, and that could partially replace activities that no longer provided sufficient satisfaction.
Vanessa began to add some small lifestyle changes along the suggested lines. She went out to dinner more frequently with her husband and friends. She developed some new hobbies and scheduled more recreational activities. She joined a bowling league and began doing volunteer work at the library and the hospital. Before too long her days were filled and she had to begin cutting back a bit. After only a few therapy sessions, she was on the road to a happier, more satisfying, lifestyle, and she agreeably terminated therapy.
Vanessa’s case was simple to solve. She needed to identify her problem—which was not her unhappiness, but her activities—and modify her life in ways that were under her control. Her case, however, carries some important lessons. Remember, she entered therapy saying she was depressed. Had she made that comment to a physician or to a psychiatrist, she would have most likely been prescribed anti-depressant medication. Many professionals react reflexively to the word depression, and immediately think medication. Many lay people think the same thing because they see the ads for the anti-depressant medicines in the media. Vanessa, however, did not need medication; she needed to see herself doing things that she found new, exciting, and personally rewarding. Happy pills would never have made Vanessa happy; engaging in activities she found fulfilling and rewarding, however, did make her happy.
Psychology and Stress 