Lesson 1143: Characteristics of Depression
Duration:75 minutes
Topic Introduction:This course will introduce the characteristics of depression and help students understand its core symptoms, emotional manifestations, and the impact it has on their lives. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the common manifestations, causes, and treatments of depression, and learn effective management strategies by identifying early signs of depression.
○ Characteristics of depression
- Depression:One of the core symptoms of depression is a persistent low mood characterized by feelings of deep sadness, helplessness, or hopelessness.
- Loss of interest:Individuals lose interest in daily activities, and things that were once of interest become meaningless.
- Lack of energy:Fatigue, feelings of fatigue, and lack of motivation can lead to neglect of work, social, and family responsibilities.
- Sleep problems:Insomnia or excessive sleep is one of the common symptoms of depression, affecting the patient's physical health and emotional regulation.
- Negative self-evaluation:Patients often blame themselves, believing themselves to be incompetent or unworthy of love, and may even have suicidal thoughts.
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions:When patients are depressed, they have difficulty concentrating, and their decision-making and thinking abilities are affected.
▲ AI Interaction: How to manage mood swings caused by depression
A depressive episode may cause you to feel powerless, lose interest, or have a low self-esteem.
Please write down the three most common feelings you have during this period.
Then try making a list of small actions you can still take when you're feeling down, like taking a walk or drinking water.
Conclusion: Even when you are down, you still have the strength to accomplish little gentle things.
Click the button below to discuss with AI how to identify and manage mood swings caused by depression and help yourself restore your mental health.
○ Characteristics of depression · Music therapy
Depression is like a low bass string that takes the color out of life.
Please play a quiet piano piece and write down the heaviest emotions of today.
Write down one small thing you would still like to do, and let the melody empower you.
Music reminds you: Even in the trough, there is still a small light.
🍵 Licorice and Ginger Tea
Recommended reasons:Licorice Ginger Tea combines the nourishing properties of licorice with the warming effects of ginger. Licorice harmonizes medicinal properties, moistening the lungs and calming the mind, while ginger warms the middle and dispels cold, improving blood circulation. This tea helps alleviate physical discomfort and mood swings caused by cold weather, and is suitable for relieving gastrointestinal discomfort caused by anxiety or stress.
Recommended drinks:Directions: Boil a few slices of ginger and 1 teaspoon of licorice in hot water for 10 minutes. Add honey to taste and drink. Drink 2-3 times a week to help increase internal heat and relieve physical and emotional tension.
○ Steamed Vegetable Platter
High in fiber and a variety of trace nutrients, it provides a low energy density and a strong sense of satiety. Antioxidant phytochemicals aid metabolism and immune support. Ideal for oil-control and light-invigorating diets, it stabilizes mood and maintains a sense of refreshment.
Healing Recipes
/home2/lzxwhemy/public_html/arttao_org/wp-content/uploads/cookbook/qing-zheng-shu-cai-pin-pan.html(Please confirm that you have uploaded: qing-zheng-shu-cai-pin-pan.html)🎨 Psychological Mandala
Psychological Healing: Psychological Mandala - Thoughts 03
There's a perpetually dark area, like a corner you deliberately ignore. The mental mandala doesn't rush to illuminate it, but allows the shadow to exist quietly. You slowly realize that it's your wounded yet still waiting self; it doesn't need to be banished, it just wants to be called by name softly.
Shadows, when seen with gentleness, become depth. Please gaze at this image three times.
○ Chinese calligraphy – Running script
Running script lies somewhere between regular script and cursive script, boasting a fluid and dynamic structure, with continuous yet measured strokes. Its natural and unrestrained strokes, alternating between fast and slow, convey the writer's emotions and are well-suited for expressing inner thoughts. Practicing running script cultivates an inner sense of rhythm and emotional balance, helping the writer find peace of mind amidst the fluidity of the brushstrokes.
- Written words:
- Act with moderation and feel at ease
- Measured Movement, Free Heart
- Writing Tips:
- Running script emphasizes a balance between movement and stillness, making it suitable for calming restless minds. When writing "Move and stop with moderation, and the mind at ease," focus on the dynamic and stillness between "running" and "stopping," mastering the retraction and expansion of the brushstrokes and their rhythmic feel. It's recommended to write guided by your breathing, focusing on the present moment and feeling the self-sustaining power of the words.
○ Characteristics of depression: Drawing guidance suggestions
This course uses drawing to externalize the core characteristics of depression, helping you observe and record them along three main lines: emotion/interest, thinking, and behavior and physiology. The goal is to make hidden changes visible through images, facilitating self-care and communication with medical professionals.
1. Emotion & Interest Dual Thermometer (Visualization of Anhedonia)
- Draw two 0–10 thermometers side by side: Left = Depression (0 = Calm, 10 = Very Depressed), Right = Interest/Pleasure (0 = No Interest, 10 = Very Interested).
- Mark the two thermometers at "morning/noon/evening" respectively and connect them to observe the intraday fluctuations and loss of pleasure (the line is at a long-term low level).
- Write down "small things that can increase your score by 1" next to it (such as 10 minutes of sunlight, washing your face with warm water, or sending a message to a friend).
2. Negative Thought Window (Three-column Card)
- Draw three columns: Automatic Thoughts | Evidence (for/against) | Balanced Statements.
- Write common biases in the left column (such as excessive self-blame, catastrophizing, and black-and-white thinking), and add factual evidence and counterexamples in the middle column.
- In the right column, write a more gentle and realistic sentence and color-code it "New Path." Complete one sentence per day.
3. Behavioral Contraction Map (Activity - Work and Rest - Body)
- Draw three concentric circles: center circle = "small activities that can be done" (washing face, walking for 5 minutes); middle circle = "requires a little effort" (cooking/tidying the table); outer circle = "more difficult" (social/learning tasks).
- Make a list of "physiological cues" (sleep/appetite changes, fatigue, slower movements) next to it and label them with symbols.
- Choose one item from the center circle and write it as an If-Then sentence (e.g., If you wake up, get a glass of water → take two deep breaths). Put a ✓ on the circle when you are done, and gradually expand outward.
4. Review and Summary (three lines)
Please write in the blank space on your drawing:
- One observation on today's "Mood/Interest Thermometer" is: ______ (when slightly improved?)
- The balanced statement I formed on the "Three Column Card" is: ______
- One of the small actions I completed on the "Behavior Contraction Map" was: ______, and the physical changes were: ______
Warm reminder: Depression requires professional assessment and ongoing care. Drawing can be used for self-reflection but should not replace diagnosis and treatment. If you experience persistent insomnia, significant weight change, intense feelings of hopelessness, or thoughts of self-harm or others, please seek professional psychological or medical support and crisis assistance immediately.
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○ 1143. Characteristics of Depression • Journaling Guidance Suggestions
① Today’s energy bar: 0–10 points; write down the three most strenuous things (getting up/communicating/concentrating).
② Capture negative automatic thoughts: Record three common thoughts and write a gentle alternative.
③ Behavioral activation micro-steps: Divide the task into 1% (wash a cup, walk for five minutes).
④ Sensory awakening: Sunlight/water/stretching/music, choose any two and try for three minutes.
⑤ Connect for a minute: Send a status message to someone you trust.
⑥ Conclusion: Completing micro-movements during a low tide is the handle for climbing up.
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By studying this course, you will be able to better understand the characteristics of depression and learn how to regulate and restore the balance of body and mind through methods such as aromatherapy, diet therapy and calligraphy.
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