A Sociological Approach and the 7x4 Field are Need in Dealing with Depression

There are many arguments for the need of an overall picture in the treatment of depression. For example, various theories and practices encompass various lists of concepts which are then problematized, compared and classified – and thus an overview is required. This article is a continuation of the article ”Overview of Depression with the Help of the 7x4-Field”, in which the 7x4-field, therapy and psychology form a whole. Sociology of education and the 7x4-field also form an important combination in the treatment of depression.The 7x4-field is a tool for analysing and describing reasons for mental disorders, illnesses, abnormalities and malaise, as well as human distress in general. It has been developed on the basis of practical mental health work and numerous interviews as well as by using a factor analysis, for example. It is also suitable for dealing with various processes of distress and mental wellbeing. It provides a broader view of these processes than can be achieved with certain kinds of still images.The first group of categories in this 7x4-field comprises the following factors: 1) Loneliness, 2) Models, 3) Stresses and challenges, 4) Punishments/disappointments, 5) Losses, 6) Avoidance/coping, and 7) Changes in life situation. These are then related to the following four cornerstones of mental health: A) Human relations, B) Bodily functions/exercise, C) Rational action, and D) Irrational action based on one’s view of life. The above categories can be cross-tabulated to form 28 cells or separate groups. The suitability of this field in the treatment of depression is examined in this article. To begin with, how the many theories of various schools of thought can be elucidated by means of the 7x4-field is presented. The following topics are discussed: dealing with the essence of depression; other disorders or illnesses involved in depression; whether depression is an actual illness; depression and self-destructiveness; self-healing; placebo treatments and their side effects; the threshold for seeking help for depression and remaining in treatment; and monitoring of the depression. The 7x4-field is made use of here in a similar manner to the periodic table of the elements, which has provided a central tool in chemistry.It is concluded that the 7x4-field is widely applicable for the analysis of depression also as a cultural and social phenomenon. In addition, it can be used in preventive treatment of depression. In preventive mental health care today, the focus is on increasing early treatment whereas actions to tackle the causes are almost