Depression Treatment Modalities
Psychological treatment, also known as talk therapy, is a powerful method to help people manage depression. It is important to choose a therapist whom you are at ease.
Mental health professionals will assess your full medical history and the severity of your symptoms during sessions. They might conduct a physical exam or request lab tests.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a proven treatment for depression and anxiety. It helps you change unhealthy or unhelpful thinking behavior, feelings, and patterns by combining the most recent insights in psychology and neuroscience with self-help techniques that are designed to improve your quality of living.
CBT teaches that emotions and thoughts are interconnected and the way people think about a situation may affect their reactions to it. This method is focused on changing the patterns of negative thinking which are known as cognitive distortions. These include all-or-nothing thinking, personalization and catastrophizing (believing that a negative event is your fault). CBT encourages therapists and clients to develop a variety healthy strategies for coping.
Unlike psychoanalysis, which is a process that works backwards to uncover an unconscious cause for the problem, CBT is short-term and goal-oriented. CBT was created in the 1960s by psychiatrist Aaron Beck, and it blends different types of thinking that include rational emotional behavior therapy (REBT) and the gestalt theory.
CBT is a type of therapy that focuses on the present and the emotions. The therapist may spend a small amount of time discussing previous events, but the majority of the session will be spent discussing the current situation. A therapist will ask you rational, concrete questions to discover what is bothering you. They will also challenge any irrational thinking or beliefs that cause your anxiety.
Therapists may also suggest you keep a journal. This is a great way for breaking down negative emotions into specific categories, like "cognitive distortions." The therapist will then assist you in coming up with more effective strategies to manage these kinds of situations.
You will learn a number of coping strategies like mindfulness. This is the ability to be in the present moment without judgment. Your therapist will also guide you to practice these techniques in a controlled environment that will allow you to increase your confidence. Your therapist will aim to become your personal therapist by helping you comprehend your maladaptive coping strategies and thought patterns, and providing you with the tools needed to change them.
Generally, the course of CBT consists of between five and 20 sessions however, this may be different. Sessions can take place in-person, on the phone or online and can be either individual or group therapy.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT).
Depression is often associated with issues with relationships for patients. This is why interpersonal therapy (IPT) is among the most widely used depression treatment modalities. IPT was developed in the 1970s, by Gerald Klerman & Myrna Wiessman. It uses a variety interpersonal theory & research to improve the quality of patient's relationships. The approach focuses primarily on the issues with relationships that arise prior to or after depressive episodes.
The first step in IPT is to perform an inventory of interpersonal relationships, which helps the therapist assess the current state of a patient's significant relationships and how these relationships are evolving. This is a structured interview in which the patient describes the way in which their relationships function and what specific issues may hinder their development.
In the middle of IPT Therapists work to establish a therapeutic alliance that is positive and encourage emotional expression. They also address the identified interpersonal issue by helping patients figure out how to handle situations in their lives and reduce their distress. This involves role-playing, and encouraging the patient to develop new responses within the context of the sessions.
In addition to addressing these relational difficulties the therapist will also offer psychoeducation on depression. They will stress that depression is not the blame of the patient, but is a medical problem. This can help dispel feelings of shame or guilt that may accompany depression and increase adhering to treatment.
At the conclusion of IPT the therapist could provide maintenance sessions to avoid relapse. They will go over the nature of depression and discuss the best ways to identify when an individual has recurrent issues.
Online IPT is also beneficial for those who aren't at ease talking to a therapist face-to-face. This kind of therapy provides the same services as in-person therapy, and is just as beneficial for people suffering from depression. It's also convenient, and removes the need to drive through a crowded city or deal with public transportation. Talk to your therapist for more information about online IPT.
Medications
Your doctor might prescribe medication to help ease depression symptoms. Depression medications are sometimes used in conjunction psychotherapy (also known as counseling, talk therapy, or counseling). Combination treatment has been proven to be more effective than any method alone in many studies. Talk therapy can help you understand how to manage stressful situations in your life, and recognize the thoughts patterns which contribute to depression.
Treatment for depression include antidepressants and other medications that regulate mood. Antidepressants balance the chemicals in your brain that regulate emotions. They are most often prescribed to patients suffering from severe depression. Before prescribing antidepressants to patients, doctors typically recommend other treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which is a type of therapy that involves talking.
Monoamine oxidase (MAOI) inhibitors are the first-line medication that is used to treat depression. These drugs inhibit an enzymatic process that increases the brain chemicals that are linked to mood, such as serotonin and norepinephrine. MAOIs are also used to treat seasonal depression (SAD) which is a condition that occurs during the dark winter months. Common MAOIs are the phenelzine (Nardil) and Tranylcypromine (Parnate) and isocarboxazid (Marplan).
Other medications that can be used to treat depression include selective serotonin receptor inhibitors (SSRIs) which boost the amount of serotonin in your brain. SSRIs are fluoxetine (Prozac) sertraline (Zoloft) and many other. Doctors also use a drug class called SNRIs. These drugs are similar to SSRIs however they possess more specific brain targets. Examples of SNRIs include desvenlafaxine (Feminipe) and venlafaxine (Effexor).
depression and anxiety treatment for depression can cause unpleasant negative side effects. It is important to follow your doctor's instructions. If you don't attend therapy sessions or don't adhere to your therapist's advice the symptoms could return and you could be suicidal.
It may take a while to get depression under control. Often, it takes several tries before you find the perfect combination of treatments works for you. If you're having trouble finding the best treatment for depression, consider seeking an opinion from psychiatrists or a psychiatrist nurse practitioner. They specialize in treating mental illness and have access to research and know-how about what treatments are most likely to be effective for you.
Medication Management
There is no cure for depression. However, combining medication with therapy is the most effective method of treatment. The process of managing medication involves working with a mental health professional who can evaluate the condition, prescribe and treat medications. These are typically antidepressants and antianxiety drugs. They are also used to treat sleep disorders, appetite and other symptoms.
The use of medication can benefit people who are in a crisis by reducing their symptoms and increasing their capacity to participate in talk therapy. Talk therapy is a type of psychotherapy which helps people find new ways to deal with their emotions and alter their negative thinking patterns. It could include learning to identify warning signs of a depressive episode, developing problem-solving skills and practicing relaxation techniques. It could also involve group or family sessions that teach family members to recognize and respond early warning signs.
In addition to individualized psychotherapy, other methods for treating depression include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). CBT is a scientifically-based method that helps people recognize and address negative thoughts or beliefs that cause depression. It can improve the efficacy of other therapies for talking and help patients feel in control of their lives.
IPT focuses on relationships and interactions with others, based on the notion that these issues can trigger depression or make it worse. EMDR helps those who suffer from flashbacks, nightmares or traumatizing memories. It can relieve anxiety and depression that is caused by a bad event such as trauma or a crash in the car.
Natural remedies, such as exercise and diet can play a crucial part in treating depression. Stress can be reduced by simplifying your life and getting enough sleep and limiting the use of alcohol or other recreational drugs. Practicing relaxation and meditation techniques can also help improve your mood. Other natural remedies for depression include writing down your thoughts in a diary, searching for websites and books that offer suggestions and tips, and reading.