The theatre of depression: a role for physical therapy, 2022, Varela and Melvin

ABSTRACT

Introduction
The world’s population is experiencing an increasing prevalence of depressive disorders. A comprehensive literature review identifies a schism between current medical interventions and the increasing prevalence. Current treatment paradigms warrant analysis.

Objective
This manuscript theorizes an interdisciplinary team inclusive of physiotherapy as a standard would reverse the increasing prevalence. Physiotherapists’ musculoskeletal expertise and biopsychosocial approach play a valuable role in mental health.

Methods
A clinical narrative review of depression, including parallels with chronic pain, is provided as a substantive foundation. The review includes challenges in primary care as the gateway to mental health. Depression’s underlying mechanisms, standard interventions, current theories, and future paradigms are explored.

Results
A theoretical construct was formulated. This construct identified compromised emotion-regulation and self-efficacy as common dysfunctions that enables and perpetuates depression. Physical activity with cognitive reappraisals positively influences these common dysfunctions and improves general intervention outcomes. The psychologically informed physiotherapist is defined. Physiotherapists can provide functional interventions and cognitive reappraisals that address biopsychosocial needs and build resilience.

Conclusion
Individualized physical and functional activity that facilitate therapeutic alliance, functional improvements, cognitive reappraisals, emotion-regulation and self-efficacy delivered by a physiotherapist provide sustainable behavioral change and completes the interdisciplinary mental health team.

Paywall, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09593985.2022.2041136

 

1) The world's population is still going through a pandemic.

2) Given that the cost of power for heating/cooling and the cost of living are going up to levels that are unaffordable for many, depression is a normal reaction. Diets are going to get worse and food poverty is increasing. Malnutrition is going to increase.

3) The simplistic answer that exercise is all everybody needs is absurd.

Why do researchers, doctors etc always want to blame the patient for all their own ills, when being depressed is often a rational and normal reaction to those ills.

 

It truly is the golden age of snake oil. Old snake oil is dead, long live the new snake oil, it's boom time! Obviously, it's both more expensive AND less effective than old snake oil, because the grift has been industrialized and made coercive, the worst features of both.

It's becoming impossible for me not to conclude that no one has a damn clue about mental illness. No one, not a damn person, everyone is just winging it, or staying vague enough that they may as well say nothing, or just straight go full guru and say mystical whimsy stuff that is just the same as saying nothing, except worse.

 

Did anyone else shudder at the phrase "theatre of depression." ?!

 

Yes, me. I thought it was a very odd choice of phrase.

 

yes @hellytheelephant i too found that really very twisted & revolting