INTERVIEW 1
Student Counselor
Is Dysthymia or mild depression something you commonly see among students?
Yes
What treatment methods/activities would you recommend for such students apart from medication?
I think involving exercise in your daily routine can do wonders to your emotional health. Adopting an outdoor activity, or doing volunteer work can also help.
What spaces or environment would you think could help reduce the symptoms of Dysthymia?
An environment that makes the student feel safe, calm and relaxed. Maybe a walk outside in the park or a walk along the river. Nature can be great therapy. For some students being around positive and happy people can also help motivate them.
What do you think hospitals/rehab centers are lacking nowadays?
The staff could be more pleasant and understanding. They should involve more open spaces in their treatment process in terms of mental health, instead of restricting it to the indoor.
What do you think restricts people from adopting outdoor activities / exercise in their daily routine?
For a person with depression, it is difficult to get out of bed, so exercise is probably the last thing on their mind. They need support and motivation since they might be enduring low self-esteem.
Do you think Holistic therapy such as Art Therapy or Eco therapy could help students with Dysthymia?
Yes. Being productive either through exercise or volunteer work could help them be more positive and not think about their problems.
INTERVIEW 2
Student, Bachelor's Degree, UK, patient of dysthymia
How long did your experience with Dysthymia last for?
It is still ongoing.
What treatments did you take? Did it help?
I did try counseling from university. Yes it helped to some extend. I think just talking to someone about it helped me feel lighter.
What were the main struggles you experienced?
Small things like just getting out of bed, which was the biggest struggle, interacting with people. Everything just seemed like such a task. I was academically motivated but found it difficult to focus.
Was there any activity or situation that made you feel better?
Talking to my family or people I am close to and travelling.
What sort of environment or weather conditions improved your mood?
Parks, nature, a really busy environment like the City Centre, open spaces, water and sunlight.
I hate it when it gets gloomy here during the winters. I miss the sun.
What do you think hospitals/ rehab centers are lacking these days in terms of treating patients with Dysthymia or Depression?
The fact that they look like hospitals or somewhere you go when you are sick. They give you a off standish feeling, that doesn’t feel calming. You feel like there is something wrong with you, which just makes it worse.
In your opinion what activities/ facilities should hospitals/ rehab centers adopt to make the healing process more comfortable?
They should be more colorful, have more windows and let the sunlight come through. Probably involving some outdoor activities in the open spaces or parks could help.
How long did your experience with Dysthymia last for?
It comes and goes
What treatments did you take? Did it help?
I did not take any treatment, since i felt embarrassed talking to anyone about or admitting that i have a problem. I also thought it would pass over time.
What were the main struggles you experienced?
On some days, I felt helpless; I just wanted support and someone to tell me its all going to be alright. Getting out of bed, or going for classes was also a struggle. It started affecting my health and increased my appetite which made me gain weight, and that just made it so much worse.
Was there any activity or situation that made you feel better?
Yes, when I did something productive, like go to the gym or be busy with some activity. Being around people that made me laugh also helped. Being outdoors was a good mood changer.
What sort of environment or weather conditions improved your mood?
Sunlight and nature made me feel calmer and happier. Music also helped. The gym helped as well as it made me too tired to think about anything else and I think it was a stress reliever.
What do you think hospitals/ rehab centers are lacking these days in terms of treating patients with Dysthymia or Depression?
I think if they could just make the whole process easier. I wouldn’t mind taking help but it would be easier if I just knew where to go and what to do. They could be more friendly and approachable.
In your opinion what activities/ facilities should hospitals/ rehab centers adopt to make the healing process more comfortable?
The whole process of taking medication is too scary, makes me feel like there is something wrong with me.
Activities that would keep me mentally occupied, counselors that are understanding and helpful, involving nature related activities could help.
INTERVIEW 3
Student, Bachelor's Degree, UK, patient of dysthymia
INTERVIEW 4
Student, Bachelor's Degree, UK, patient of dysthymia
How long did your experience with Dysthymia last for ?
3 years
What treatments did you take ? Did it help?
Yes i took Psychologist sessions, psychiatrist sessions, anti anxiety medication, medication for focus and sessions with counselors.
The sessions with the counselors did help but medication did not .
What were the main struggles you experienced?
I gained a lot of weight which affected my self-esteem,i felt isolated and felt everyone was judging me . I had this need to feel accepted. My motivation to go for classes stopped, I felt like i was letting myself down and was getting influenced by bad company.
Was there any activity or situation that made you feel better?
Yes since the medication wasn't helping, my weight issues sort of motivated me to get better. I was feeling extremely low about my self- esteem so my mom motivated me to start taking dance classes. I also started doing drama, which somehow made me forget my own problems and helped me channelize all my negative thoughts into positive thoughts. I think being active and involving myself in physical activities was the game changer. It worked like magic for me. Volunteering for animals was also helpful. It made me realize i do not need to be dependent on other people for my happiness.
What sort of environment or weather conditions improved your mood?
Crowded places helped me feel less lonely. Being outdoors was also nice and refreshing.
What do you think hospitals/ rehab centers are lacking these days in terms of treating patients with Dysthymia or Depression?
They need to treat patients like normal people, they should understand that we just need support and to be understood.
In your opinion what activities/ facilities should hospitals/ rehab centers adopt to make the healing process more comfortable?
I think introducing different activities is a good idea, whether its dance, drama or painting. Everyone has a hidden passion and using that is the best way to recovery. It gives you a sense of achievement
INTERVIEW 5
Student, Bachelor's Degree, UK, patient of dysthymia
How long did your experience with Dysthymia last for ?
2 YEARS
What treatments did you take? Did it help?
I went to see a psychiatrist but it did not help as i found it difficult to open up to him. He even prescribed medication but it did not help me.
What were the main struggles you experienced?
I had low appetite, felt secluded, had negative thoughts in my head all the time, felt hopeless. I became extremely weak which lowered my self-esteem greatly.
Was there any activity or situation that made you feel better?
When I met new and positive people that motivated me . A new social circle gave me a fresh start . It was a new environment and change of place. Swimming also helped me to some extent.
What sort of environment or weather conditions improved your mood?
I liked environments where i got to meet new people. It gave me a chance to start fresh and make new friends. Yes sitting outside in my balcony during the daytime helped me feel calmer.
What do you think hospitals/ rehab centeres are lacking these days in terms of treating patients with Dysthymia or Depression?
I never liked how they sympathized with me, I felt strange and felt there was something wrong with my head. They could have treated me normally and been more friendly.
In your opinion what activities/ facilities should hospitals/ rehab centers adopt to make the healing process more comfortable?
Reading. Maybe a library where you can read and watch movies. They could have more open spaces and a swimming pool would be nice.