Depression: Treatment, recovery, and the power of small steps
Last week, I had the privilege of joining BBC Scotland’s The Seven to talk about depression.
The interview followed a deeply moving report about Scott Hastings, the former Scotland rugby international, whose wife tragically took her own life last year after living with depression for over two decades.
I want to begin by acknowledging the courage it takes for families to share stories like this - they remind us of both the devastating impact depression can have and the urgency of continuing to talk openly about it.
On air, I was able to touch briefly on treatment strategies, but there was much more I wished I could have shared. According to the NHS, around 1 in 6 adults experience symptoms of depression at some stage of their lives, and the Office of national Statistics has reported that rates of depression have increased in recent years.
That’s why I’ve written this blog: to go a little deeper into what recovery can look like in real life, and to offer some practical, evidence-based strategies that may give people hope.
High-Quality One-to-One Therapy
At the core of effective treatment is high-quality therapy with a qualified clinician. Talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy, and other evidence-based approaches, provide a structured environment to work through the underlying drivers of depression.
Therapy helps people identify unhelpful thinking patterns, learn strategies to manage overwhelming feelings, and build coping mechanisms that allow them to respond differently when depression threatens to take hold.
What’s crucial here is the relationship between therapist and client. Recovery isn’t about being “fixed” by a professional, it’s about being supported to uncover new perspectives, new skills, and new ways of engaging with life. Therapy offers a collaborative space that restores agency and hope, which depression often strips away.
At MAPP we have focused our entire therapy model on what we’ve found drives the most meaningful change for our clients - it’s a combination of many of the elements above, delivered by the very best doctors of psychology.
The Role of Exercise
Exercise is another well-established intervention for depression, and not just because of endorphins. Physical activity regulates stress hormones such as cortisol, improves sleep quality, and boosts self-esteem.
Crucially, it doesn’t need to be ambitious. A short walk, a gentle cycle, stretching at home – these all count. What matters is consistency and the sense of achievement, however modest, that comes from following through. Many people with depression describe feeling stuck or paralysed. Movement, in any form, is a way of breaking through the inertia that depression so often creates.
Agency, Autonomy, and Small Wins
One of the most overlooked features of depression is the loss of agency. People often feel they have no influence over their thoughts, emotions, or surroundings, and this sense of helplessness fuels rumination, the tendency to go over and over the same negative thoughts.
That’s why even the smallest actions matter. Doing something, no matter how trivial it seems, interrupts the loop of rumination and builds a sense of autonomy. Texting a friend, making a coffee, stepping outside the front door, each is a choice, each is proof that action is possible.
Over time, these small steps accumulate into bigger changes. They rebuild confidence, reinforce the sense of control, and show that life can be shifted, one action at a time. Depression convinces people they are powerless; small acts of agency prove otherwise.
Social Connection
Humans are wired for connection, and yet depression often isolates people, convincing them that they are a burden or that others won’t understand. This isolation not only worsens symptoms but also removes one of the strongest protective factors against depression: belonging.
Reaching out to trusted friends or family, joining a community group, or even engaging in structured peer support can help to combat this. Social connection provides perspective, emotional support, and a reminder that you are not alone in what you are experiencing. Even brief interactions, sharing a meal, attending a class, or simply speaking to someone at a café, can provide meaningful shifts in mood.
Like exercise and agency, social connection also creates structure and purpose. It helps people feel part of something beyond themselves, which can counter the inward spiral that depression so often produces.
Looking Forward
Depression is widespread and serious, but it is also manageable and treatable. The path to recovery is rarely linear, but there are practical, evidence-based steps that make a difference: high-quality therapy, exercise, cultivating agency, and reconnecting with others.
Recovery doesn’t start with a grand plan, it begins with the smallest possible step. Sending that text, walking to the end of the street, sitting down with a trusted friend. Each act challenges the grip of depression, each act builds agency, and each act is a step towards reclaiming a sense of influence over life again.
If you or someone you care about is struggling with depression, remember that help is available, and change is possible. It begins, always, with one small action.