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OT and Depression

Another emerging niche in the field of occupational therapy is depression. Depression is a very common mental illness that affects countless individuals. Because all of the symptoms of depression are physically unseen, sometimes it is not taken seriously by others. What I love about the field of OT is that it is not limited to physical conditions, but instead takes any and all diseases into account that are preventing an individual from living happily and independent.
From an occupational therapist's perspective, depression is an illness that keeps individuals from wanting to do activities and occupations that are important to them. Symptoms include sadness, irritability, fatigue, etc. In the older population, this disease can even bring forth physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches.
An OT can help an individual suffering with depression help regain satisfaction and a sense of responsibility and accomplishment through completing the tasks that they would usually do. They work together through finding out what is keeping the client from completing these tasks in order to get him or her back to a normal, productive routine. Occupational therapists can also help build up a client's self-esteem by helping him or her replace bad habits with good ones to help the individual feel more satisfied. An OT will work with each client in finding a healthy balance between relationships, work, and leisure in order to cope with his or her depression and become more satisfied with life again.
Though I am not sure that I want to work in a mental health setting in the future, I think this scope of OT is extremely important and can help so many individuals who find themselves in a hopeless situation.

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