Keyword: self-care

I’ve written blog entries here before about the Antidepressant Skills Workbook, a free evidence-based self-care tool developed over a decade ago, which can be downloaded in English, French, Punjabi, Chinese, Farsi and Vietnamese; and also as an audio book (sadly, only in English so far). Also available for free download on that site are versions of the workbook focused on mood self-control for the workplace

Community organizations have played a pivotal role in the development of Supported Self-management (SSM) for many years. The key element in that support is ensuring that individuals afflicted with a mental disorder are involved in decisions about their own mental health.

Supported Self-Management (SSM) for mood problems is a form of intervention in which: distressed individuals are provided with workbooks or websites designed to teach behavioural skills for mood self-management; and a healthcare provider or other supporter acts as a coach to help learn and apply the self-management skills. This intervention has shown an impressive degree of effectiveness for common mental health problems of mild to moderate severity.

Because of their high recurrence, experts now consider depressive and anxiety disorders to be chronic illnesses. Supported self-management (SSM) is an essential component in the Chronic Care Model, a standard to strive for when providing care for people with chronic illnesses, both physical and mental. Most clinical practice guidelines also recommend SSM for treating depressive and anxiety disorders (NICE, CANMAT).

Supported Self-Management (SSM) is gaining increasing recognition as an essential component in the treatment of people suffering from anxiety and depressive disorders. Most practice guidelines (NICE, CANMAT) recommend it. Finally, it is also part of the Chronic Care Model, which is progressively more popular for both physical illnesses and mental disorders.