Helping Others May Be the Best Way to Treat Your Own Depression

Depression is a rough topic. It's somehow managed to become both a disorder and a national discussion. The situation is further complicated by the fact that there's so much confusion over the disorder. People often talk about it while essentially discussing two very different things. And in doing so, they often lose sight of the fact that there are some very effective treatments out there. And one, in particular, is starting to get a lot more attention. But before we start to discuss how helping others can in turn help with your own depression, we'll need to cover a few other points.

Deciding on a common definition

Even defining depression can prove difficult. There's two clinical definitions for depression. And the general public tends to be rather confused about the difference. The most common use of the term depression refers to mood. This other definition of depression is more precisely defined as major depressive disorder. It's easy to see why the public has so many issues differentiating between the two. Most of the symptoms of one tend to go along with the other.

But the biggest difference can be summed up with duration and source. Just as a reminder, it's best to take this as a general rule of thumb. Nobody should start diagnosing themselves or others without proper academic training. Diagnosing mental health issues is actually more, rather than less, difficult than doing the same with physical health. One can probe and prod the body rather easily. But the same can't be said for the mind. It's simply not easy to get to the root of what a person is thinking or feeling.

But a general rule of thumb can be found with the source of one's depression and the duration. Major depressive disorder tends to occur independently of events in one's life. Everything can be going perfectly in these instances. And then one suddenly starts to spiral into depression. With depression as a mood, there's usually a triggering event. For example, a divorce or death of someone a person is close to.

But duration is more important than either of these as a defining factor. Depression as a mood will usually just clear up over time. Depression as a mental illness will continue indefinitely without some form of treatment. And this is where the idea of love and empathy come in.

Helping oneself and others to treat depression

In general, we'll discuss depression in terms of major depressive disorders. But much of this is applicable to depression as a mood, too. However, it's equally important to keep in mind that any form of treatment is best worked through with the aid of mental health professionals.

With that out of the way, you're probably wondering how volunteering can impact mental health issues. One of the biggest reasons simply comes down to empathy. When you volunteer abroad, you're suddenly opened up to a variety of new experiences and feelings. We all have a strong tendency to run on tired and tedious scripts. We've all had those days, or even years, where it seems we're running on autopilot. But working with people in another culture suddenly removes you from that script.

Exercise for your heart in both a physical and metaphorical sense

You can almost think of it like an empathy reboot. You're suddenly reconnected with other people. Their suffering becomes your suffering. And that might not sound like a fantastic treatment for depression at first. But what comes next is the true game changer.

Your volunteer efforts will make positive changes in people's lives. And as you experience happiness in others, you'll begin to feel it in your own heart. At first it's a secondhand and vicarious experience. But for many people, it's a bit like training wheels for their own joy. And there's a secondary bonus that people tend to get some exercise in as well. Which is also a solid treatment for depression.

Giving and receiving help

In the end, this can form a solid plan of action. Again, it's important to not take treatment 100 percent into your own hands. The professionals are there for a reason. But by helping others, there's a very solid chance that you can help yourself.