Depression
Many studies have looked at the effectiveness of reminiscence therapy in clinically depressed older adults. This research suggests reminiscence therapy is a very effective way to reduce depressive symptoms in the elderly. Integrative and instrumental reminiscence therapy helped participants' affect improve over the long term by significantly decreasing depressive symptoms. Another study found that after 12 weeks of integrative reminiscence therapy, institutionalized older veterans experienced significant decreases in depressive symptoms. Older adults with depressive symptoms frequently reminisce as a way to refresh bitter memories, reduce boredom, and prepare for death from Webster's taxonomy (as opposed to conversation, teach/inform, intimacy maintenance, problem solving, identity). Due to this finding, the researchers concluded that if depressed older adults were already reminiscing, although in negative ways, they would make good candidates for reminiscence therapy since they would be comfortable with this activity. Reminiscence therapy may even help alleviate depressive symptoms in patients also suffering from cancer.
Read more about this topic: Reminiscence Therapy, What Is Reminiscence Therapy?, Applications of Reminiscence Therapy
Famous quotes containing the word depression:
“The term clinical depression finds its way into too many conversations these days. One has a sense that a catastrophe has occurred in the psychic landscape.”
—Leonard Cohen (b. 1934)
“That terrible mood of depression of whether it’s any good or not is what is known as The Artist’s Reward.”
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961)
“Every age yearns for a more beautiful world. The deeper the desperation and the depression about the confusing present, the more intense that yearning.”
—Johan Huizinga (1872–1945)