Depression Treatment Approaches

There are many ways to combat depression. There are many treatment options for depression.

Psychotherapy (also known as talk therapy) is a great way to find support and learn new techniques. It can be conducted in individual sessions or groups and may involve a counselor, social worker or psychiatrist. Another vital aspect of treatment is the use of medication.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a kind of psychotherapy that helps to alleviate the symptoms of depression and mental health disorders. It is based on the notion that feelings, thoughts and actions are all interconnected. Unhelpful or negative beliefs or thoughts can cause emotional distress and lead you to self-defeating behavior. A therapist can help you recognize those negative patterns and develop new ways to handle different situations.

A therapist will use interactive questions and answers to get to the root of your emotional issues. They will encourage you to be aware of the moments when you are feeling depressed or anxious and talk about these moments. Together, you'll identify unproductive patterns of thinking, distorted perceptions, or behaviors that contribute anxiety and depression.

Your therapist will also work with you to create and implement practical self-help strategies that will help you tackle your concerns right now. These are often called "cognitive restructuring methods," and include goal-setting, journaling, mindfulness meditation and exposure therapy. Your therapist may recommend that you practice new treatments for depression behaviors and coping strategies in a controlled, secure environment to help you develop.

CBT has been proven to be effective in numerous studies for psychiatric problems that include anxiety, depression disorders and substance abuse issues. It can be performed on its own or in conjunction with the use of a psychiatric medication.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a method that requires commitment and a willingness to adapt. If you're interested in finding out more about this method consult your physician or find a therapist who specializes in CBT. You can also look into your health insurance policy to see whether they cover these services. Online resources are available to those with limited incomes who need financial assistance. Getting help when you need it is the first step to recovery and a more healthy life.

Interpersonal Therapy

The idea was developed by the late psychiatrist Gerald Klerman, IPT is another talking therapy that addresses specific problems that can contribute to depression. It is based on the idea that depression is a predisposition that may be triggered by changes in a person's social environment. It also suggests that the interpersonal challenges which trigger depression can be dealt with by addressing the relationship problems which can exacerbate symptoms.

In contrast to other modern psychotherapies which attempt to determine the root cause of behavior, IPT doesn't focus on looking into the subconscious motives or past traumas. Instead, therapists in this approach realize that people who suffer from depression pharmacological treatment often struggle to express and deal with emotions such as anger or frustration, and these difficulties can complicate their relationships with family and friends as well as partners.

The first phase of IPT is usually three sessions, and focuses on identifying the area of interaction might be contributing to the depressive symptoms. Your counselor will ask you to look over your relationships with significant people that are both past and present and group them into four potential problem areas: unresolved grief (often caused by the loss of loved ones) or a role change or role conflict, or interpersonal problems.

The middle stage of IPT usually occurs between sessions between four and fourteen. Your therapist will employ strategies to tackle the specific problem area. For instance your therapist can help you navigate difficult transitions in your relationships, help you acknowledge and vent your anger, or find more effective ways of interacting with others.

Your therapist will help identify the skills that you have learned during treatment and can apply at home. They will also encourage you to maintain contact with your therapist even after sessions, for instance, through weekly phone calls or a monthly face-toface meeting, to prevent relapses and continue to improve your skills. The therapist might also suggest maintenance sessions for people suffering from mental health conditions that are recurring or chronic such as PTSD.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a research-based treatment approach created by psychologist Marsha Linehan to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD). The therapy focuses on teaching people how to manage their emotions and behaviors and develop skills that assist to build healthy relationships and manage their distress. DBT is broken down into four stages. The first phase focuses on changing how to treat depression and anxiety you react to certain situations such as how you react when you're sad or angry. The second stage helps to create emotional regulation so that you are able to more easily manage your emotions. The third stage helps you learn to sustain your efforts for change and create an enjoyable life.

The fourth and final phase will teach you how to apply the skills you've acquired in therapy on a daily basis, in addition to your weekly sessions with your therapist. Your therapist may use the telephone, homework assignments, and other tools to help you develop and apply these skills in your everyday life. A therapist trained in DBT will help you understand that your negative feelings and thoughts are valid and aren't necessarily "wrong". They're the result of the challenges you've had to face in your life. They'll also teach you to manage and integrate seemingly contradictory techniques, such as accepting changes and accepting.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that DBT is effective in treating a variety of disorders. For instance, one RCT conducted a comparison of the standard DBT to standard treatment for women suffering from BPD and found that patients receiving DBT were significantly less prone to parasuicide behaviors, suicide attempts and psychiatric hospitalizations days as compared to those who received the control group. DBT was also associated with reduced trait anger and improved social functioning.

DBT also involves regular meetings with a DBT-trained therapist participation in the DBT consulting team, and practice at home. The team consists of therapists that regularly meet to discuss the most frequent clinical issues like how to handle suicidal clients or how to assist them in maintaining their involvement in therapy.

In the team meeting the therapists are encouraged to remain non-judgmental and compassionate towards their patients, even in difficult circumstances. They are also urged and assisted to avoid burnout and monitored for conformity with DBT procedures.

Medication

Many people who suffer from depression discover that medication can help ease symptoms and encourages recovery. If you're interested in using antidepressants, speak to your doctor about the different options available. Each person's body reacts differently to medication therefore it could take some time before you find the right combination of drugs for you. Talk to your doctor about changes to your lifestyle such as improved sleeping habits or exercising that can aid in overcoming depression.

If your extreme depression treatment is not responding to therapy or medications you might need to consult with a specialist such as a psychiatrist. They will go over your history and treatment, and then conduct a a thorough medical exam. They can test for underlying medical conditions, like the rheumatoid or hypothyroidism that could contribute to your depression. They can also use an instrument called pharmacogenetic tests, which can predict your body's response to certain medications by using genetic markers. These tests are not currently covered by insurance.

In some instances, doctors can add a drug to an antidepressant to enhance its effects. This is known as an augmentation therapy. FDA-approved medications like aripiprazole or quetiapine are utilized for this purpose. Some doctors may also prescribe ketamine as an anesthetic medication that provides rapid relief for people with treatment-resistant depression. This procedure is done in a clinic or hospital setting.

Talk therapy is an important part of depression treatment. However, many people do not seek help due to the belief that the condition will disappear on its own or therapy is ineffective. Therapy can help you gain knowledge and insight to speed up recovery and stop depression from recurring.

The use of talk therapies is usually in combination with other treatment options, such as lifestyle modifications. Even if you're not depressed, it is important to adhere to your treatment resistant bipolar depression program. Participate in all sessions. Don't forget to take your medication. If you stop taking the medication, you will likely experience withdrawal symptoms and your depression may return.