It is well known that depressed people lack energy, they have difficulty concentrating, and like everyone else, they are faced with all kinds of everyday situations. Their apathy often prevents them from taking necessary actions, which sometimes causes them problems (for example, bills pile up). Also, they do not have enough energy to be in solution mode.  

Not being able to solve your problems only maintains and worsens the depression. They must therefore be able to find solutions. Again, CBT provides resources to act on problems.  It is quite easy to find very relevant problem-solving grids on the web which provide a good methodology. Often times these grids are combined with self-care which focuses on behavioral activation or cognitive restructuring.

In general, good tools are structured like this:

• Perception of the problem;
• Problem definition;
• Search for solutions
• Choice of solution
• Application of the solution
• Perception of the problem

The way we see the problem is essential to moving towards an appropriate solution. A negative perception reduces your chances of seeing things objectively.

I have noticed that a person can see their consumption problem as a threat to their well-being, but can still be convinced of their inability to find a solution. If she somehow manages to choose a solution, it often happens that she doesn't make much effort to put it in place, since she considers the problem insurmountable, you see the trap!

We must therefore stop and work to change the perception so that the person can acquire a more nuanced perception, otherwise the process will not work.

Problem definition

It is difficult to find solutions to vague and confusing problems. A poorly defined problem will lead you to partial or inadequate solutions. To properly define the problem, it is important to ask the right questions:

• What's going on?
• What really bothers me?
• Who is involved?
• In what situation does the problem manifest itself? 

In short, when we become aware of a problem, it is essential to define it in a concrete and effective way. What matters is coming up with effective solutions, right?

Search for solutions

 The more lifting solutions there are, the greater the chance of finding the right deal, the one that will be effective. In practice, if people are left to do the exercise on their own, few will explore more than one solution.

I realized that to get people to come up with more than a solution, you have to convince them not to try to evaluate their ideas before submitting them, you must not hold back. It’s about getting into brainstorming mode. In this way we generally obtain a certain number of solutions, more than one of which may be considered interesting.

Choose the solution

If we have more than one solution, this is where we need to evaluate them, so highlight the pros and cons of each to arrive at the best one.

The following questions can help us choose:

• What can this solution do for me?
• What are the consequences of this solution in the short term and long term?
• What are the consequences of this solution for me and those around me?
• What are the chances that this solution will work?

By applying these questions to each solution, it becomes possible to identify one that is advantageous for oneself and for others.

Application of the solution

This is about taking action and applying the solution. If this proves conclusive and allows us to achieve the objectives we had set for ourselves, then that's congratulations, and why not take advantage of it to give yourself a small reward.

If, on the contrary, the solution does not provide relief, you must redo your homework and return to the decision-making stage and choose another solution! 

Amélie your mental health coach

This article is written from my personal experience and borrows some elements from the document "Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for unipolar depression", Martin D. Provencher, Ph.D