Mood and anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental disorders. People with such disorders implement self-management strategies to reduce or prevent their symptoms and to optimize their health and well-being. Even though self-management strategies are known to be essential to recovery, few researchers have examined them. The aim of this study is to explore strategies used by people recovering from depressive, anxiety, and bipolar disorders by asking 50 of them to describe their own strategies. Strategies were classified according to dimensions of recovery: social, existential, functional, physical, and clinical. Within these themes, 60 distinct strategies were found to be used synergistically to promote personal recovery as well as symptom reduction. Findings highlight the diversity of strategies used by people, whether they have depressive, anxiety, or bipolar disorders. This study underscores the importance of supporting self-management in a way that respects individual experience.

Background: Treatment preferences of patients suffering from depression may affect adherence and clinical outcomes. This study examines associations between patients' treatment preferences, their characteristics and illness representations of depression. Methods: Illness representations of depression (IPQ-R), treatment acceptability and preferences were assessed in 88 newly diagnosed patients with first episode depression. Other measures recorded: gender, age, education level, income, psychiatric comorbidity, depressive symptomatology (PHQ-9), a family history of depression, and current treatment of depression. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with a preference for psychotherapy. Results: Psychotherapy was preferred by 41% of participants, while 31% favored antidepressants. Acceptability was strongly associated with preference. Patients preferring psychotherapy perceived that their depression has more serious consequences than those preferring medication and were more likely to attribute their depression to social causes than psychological or physical causes. Participants who preferred psychotherapy were more likely to be female, have a university degree and have a family history of depression. Limitations: The cross-sectional design precludes causal interpretations. Conclusions: Preferences vary according to gender, level of education, family history and illness representations. It may be important to provide accurate information on both treatments and discuss patients' preferences before prescribing treatment. Methods: Illness representations of depression (IPQ-R), treatment acceptability and preferences were assessed in 88 newly diagnosed patients with first episode depression. 1 Treatment preferences in patients with first episode depressionOther measures recorded: gender, age, education level, income, psychiatric comorbidity, depressive symptomatology (PHQ-9), a family history of depression, and current treatment of depression. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with a preference for psychotherapy.Results: Psychotherapy was preferred by 41% of participants, while 31% favored antidepressants. Acceptability was strongly associated with preference. Patients preferring psychotherapy perceived that their depression has more serious consequences than those preferring medication and were more likely to attribute their depression to social causes than psychological or physical causes. Participants who preferred psychotherapy were more likely to be female, have a university degree and have a family history of depression. Limitations:The cross-sectional design precludes causal interpretations. Conclusions:Preferences vary according to gender, level of education, family history and illness representations. It may be important to provide accurate information on both treatments and discuss patients' preferences before prescribing treatment.

This paper reports on the development and evaluation of the Depression Self-Management Workshop (DSMW) that aims to empower participants to implement self-management behaviours in their daily lives in order to improve their mental health and prevent relapse. The 10-session intervention was delivered to 46 adults with depression who completed pre-, post- and follow-up structured interviews and questionnaires. Depressive symptoms were significantly reduced at the end of the intervention and at follow-up. Improvements in participants’ knowledge about depression, self-management behaviours and self-efficacy were also observed. These results were corroborated by the participants’ strong convictions regarding the DSMW’s usefulness.