Psychotherapy Treatment For Depression

Psychotherapy, or therapy for short, is often the first form of treatment recommended for depression. It is true that since the antidepressants came on the market many people have come to regard these medications as "therapy in a bottle", but the drugs are a quick and temporary fix, have side effects and on the long run they get to be more expensive than the good old talk.

Psychotherapy is an effective way to fight depression and it is practiced only by psychotherapists. During psychotherapy a licensed and trained mental health care professional helps you figure our the causes of your depression and teaches you ways to cope with it. Psychotherapy involves evaluating your thoughts and behaviors, identifying stresses that contribute to depression, and working to modify both.

Sometimes depression is triggered by a combination between the person´s life experiences and hereditary or chemical imbalances in the brain. In this case your health care professional will advice you on the medication that´s best for you. But the psychological and psychosocial aspects of depression are just as important as treating its medical cause and psychotherapy always helps.

Types of psychotherapy

Individual Therapy - involves only the patient and the therapist
Group Therapy - involves two or more patients that are able to share experiences and learn that others feel the same way and have had the same experiences
Marital/couples Therapy - this type of psychotherapy helps spouses and partners understand why their loved one has depression, what changes in communication and behaviors can help, and what they can do to cope
Family Therapy - because family is a key part of the team that helps people with depression get better, it is sometimes helpful for family members to understand what their loved one is going through, how they themselves can cope, and what they can do to help
Online Phone Therapy - this new type of psychotherapy is conducted by telephone or on a video chat, is cheaper than the traditional therapy and studies show that is nearly as effective as face-to-face consultations

Psichotherapy tips

Therapy is no quick fix; it requires time, effort, and regularity. It can take weeks, months, even years to sort our your problems. Psychotherapy is a working project; sometimes you can see results starting with your first session, sometimes it takes longer, but you will always move forward. Psichotherapy takes longer to begin to work than antidepressants, but there is evidence that suggests that its effects last longer. Antidepressants may be needed immediately in cases of severe depression, and the combination of therapy and medicine is very effective. Psychotherapy works best when you attend all of your scheduled appointments and you are an active participant.

As you begin therapy, establish some goals with your therapist. Then spend time periodically reviewing your progress with your therapist. If you don’t like your therapist’s approach or if you don’t think the therapist is helping you, talk to him or her about it and seek a second opinion if both you and your therapist agree, but don’t discontinue therapy abruptly.

A person's depression is highly treatable when he or she receives competent care. It is critical for people who suspect that they or a family member may be suffering from depression to seek care from a licensed mental health professional who has training and experience in helping people recover from depression. Simply put, people with depression who do not seek help suffer needlessly. Unexpressed feelings and concerns accompanied by a sense of isolation can worsen a depression; therefore, the importance of getting appropriate help cannot be overemphasized.