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Depression is a mood disorder that prevents you from functioning normally and requires treatment. One of the methods of helping people suffering from depression is pharmacological treatment, but psychotherapy remains equally important. What types of psychotherapy are indicated for people with depression? Can this disorder be cured?
What is depression?
In everyday language, the word depression is often used in the context of minor setbacks in life, fatigue, or low humor. However, depression as a psychological disorder is a much more serious phenomenon. It consists of a complex of symptoms not only emotional, but also physical, mental and behavioral. They are chronic in nature, but vary in intensity and may occur seasonally. Not everyone depressed person experiences identical symptoms, but at least some of them usually overlap.
Statistically, depression affects more and more people and is considered one of the diseases of civilization, i.e. largely conditioned by lifestyle. Depression is most common in people between the ages of 20 and 40, but it also affects children and adolescents, and is becoming more and more common in the elderly.
Can depression be cured?
The symptoms of depression will not go away by themselves, and the more serious symptoms of suicide are seriously life-threatening. For this reason, treatment of depression is necessary, and modern medicine and psychology propose many effective pharmacological and therapeutic methods. Thanks to them, it is possible to cure depression. However, there is always a risk of appearing relapses of depression. It should also be remembered that in the case of depression, which also occurs with other mental disorders, long-term or permanent treatment may be necessary. This applies, for example, to bipolar disorder.
Treatment of depression is adjusted to the severity of symptoms. In severe depressive episodes the basis are antidepressants, which allow you to control the most difficult phase of the disease. The next step is psychotherapy. In the treatment of depression, the combined method is often implemented, i.e. pharmaceuticals and meetings with a psychotherapist.
- Check: Psychotherapy – when is it worth using?
Other ways to combat some types of depression are electroconvulsive therapy (for severe depression with psychotic symptoms) and phototherapy (for SAD, or seasonal depression).
Main problem with treating depression is such that many people with this disorder do not go to the doctor. This may result from a sense of shame, lack of support from relatives, poor mental state (lack of willingness to act, resignation), as well as attempts to cope with depression in other ways, e.g. through self-destructive behavior such as self-harm or drinking alcohol.
Types of psychotherapy recommended in depression
Psychotherapy is one of the main methods of treating depression, and its effectiveness is comparable to the use of properly selected medications. Obviously, achieving the desired results takes time, and sometimes requires pharmacotherapy. In the treatment of depression in adults, the following are mainly used:
- cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy – in the treatment of depression, therapy focuses on changing negative beliefs and perceptions of reality, as well as working on behaviors that are harmful to the patient;
- interpersonal psychotherapy – this method is based on the assumption that depression is largely related to the interpersonal relationships in the patient’s life; the therapy focuses on relationships and related problems, their impact on the patient’s mental state, as well as the importance of the symptoms of depression in the context of these relationships.
Both of the above types of psychotherapy are also adapted to the needs of therapy for children and adolescents suffering from depression.
- Also read: The course of psychotherapy – contracts, goals, methodology, duration
Cognitive behavioral therapy in depression
Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy is highly effective in the treatment and prevention of recurrence of depression. The treatment of this mood disorder is carried out in a short-term regimen (approx. 20 sessions). This form of psychotherapy is to make the patient reflect on his way of thinking and behavior, help him focus on the present moment and learn new ways of acting and reacting. One of the elements of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy are also homework.
The therapeutic process encourages the patient to perform daily activities that have been difficult until now. The return to these classes is gradual, and during conversations with the psychotherapist, the patient has a chance to recognize obstacles that made it impossible to carry out specific tasks. Recognizing the blockage is the first step, and the rest of the work is to change the thought patterns that are the source of your negative emotions. The depressed person must learn to realize that the automatically emerging negative thoughts should first analyze and consider whether they are overinterpreted and supported by facts.
The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy is to reevaluate beliefs (e.g. about self-esteem), learn to cope with depression symptoms and to alleviate them.
Interpersonal psychotherapy in depression
Effectiveness of interpersonal psychotherapy it is noticeable especially in the context of long-term results, and the number of visits is usually limited to a dozen or so (approx. 12-16). The methods used in therapy focus primarily on symptoms typical of the initial stage of depression, i.e. sadness and problems in relationships with other people. Often the subject of meetings with a psychotherapist are specific interpersonal difficulties, i.e. conflicts with relatives, not finding oneself in a given social role, problems at work or difficulties with social activity.
Interpersonal psychotherapy is designed to help people with symptoms of depression deal with specific problems or find ways to better communicate with people. Setting boundaries and better communication allow you to balance your mental state and alleviate the symptoms of depression.
The choice of the appropriate form of therapy for people with depression depends on the patient’s condition and medical indications. The key is to consult a psychologist and psychiatrist, because only the correct diagnosis of the ailment and its nature allows you to decide on the most effective method of treating depression.
See also: A Polish hospital introduces innovative methods of treating mental illnesses