People with depression have a lot of strength, even if they may not recognize it. How else do they keep going as they cope with their symptoms and deal with negative emotions?

The strength required to deal with depression is often overlooked. Instead, those struggling with depression may be seen as weak, rather than strong, by themselves and by others.

This sort of stereotyping of people with depression blinds us to their inner strengths, Greg Walton, co-author of a new study that demonstrated just how damaging this misperception can be, explained. People should understand that those dealing with depression may need support during dark times, he told TheDoctor, but they are also developing strengths from having to persevere despite their symptoms.

“When people see themselves as strong, not weak, it helps them believe in themselves.”

To reverse the narrative that depression stems from weakness, an international team of researchers developed a depression-reframing exercise. The exercise unlocks people's ability to access their inner strength and the resilience that comes from dealing with something difficult, explained Walton, a professor of psychology at Stanford University. “Asking people about their experience with depression so it becomes common ground and helps us understand who that person is, that is magical!”

Clinical interventions for depression often involve multiple sessions of psychotherapy or some form of group therapy. Both require a person who is feeling depressed to show up at a certain time and, often, a certain place.

The depression-reframing exercise on the other hand, is a 20-minute exercise that people can do online, so it can be done anywhere. Walton emphasized that it is not meant to be a substitute for other treatments.

Almost 750 people with depression participated in the study. In three experiments, they were asked to think about the strengths they showed when dealing with their condition. Compared to the standard information about depression given to those in the control group, the 20-minute depression-reframing exercise significantly improved participants' self-confidence, regardless of their symptoms.

Those dealing with depression may need support during dark times, but they are also developing strengths from having to persevere despite their symptoms.

“When people see themselves as strong, not weak, it helps them believe in themselves,” study leader Christina Bauer, a psychologist at the University of Vienna, Austria, said in a statement. This is true for those with and without depression.

People encouraged to tap into their inner strength gain self-confidence and are more likely to pursue their personal goals. Over a two-week period, participants who had completed the depression-reframing exercise made 49 percent more progress towards reaching their goals compared to controls.

The researchers hope to find partnership opportunities with organizations already helping people experiencing depression. Through these partnerships they could learn how different approaches, such as the depression-reframing exercise, could be incorporated into clinical practice, with the goal of seeing if people have better outcomes.

The study is published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.