Are you suffering from depression and looking for any effective psychological treatment? Psychotherapy is a reliable and top-notch treatment to treat negatively altered thought patterns and behavior. However, if you want to know more about psychotherapy and its significance for depression treatment, then read this article. You will also get a complete insight into which psychological approach is best for depression or which form of psychotherapy is especially effective in coping with depression.
What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a type of psychological treatment that is used to treat different common psychological issues. Psychotherapy is also called talk therapy as it involves the direct communication of mental health professionals with individuals suffering from common mental health issues, including depression. The main goal of psychotherapy is to alter unhealthy, undesired, or negative thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and resulting behavior. There are multiple benefits of psychotherapy for depression that assist individuals in living a stress-free, peaceful life.
Who needs Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is helpful for each individual who is grappling with mental health issues that are affecting their quality of life. Moreover, psychotherapy is not limited to age, gender, or any other socioeconomic factor for individuals. All the affected individuals, including children, adolescents, and adults, can benefit from psychotherapy. Children who have any mental illness face difficulty in paying attention in their class. Moreover, they also face difficulty in learning and remembering important things and also fail to develop bonds with their friends and loved ones. Similarly, adolescents and adults also experience multiple issues in their personal and professional lives. So, both children and adults can rely on psychotherapy to treat or prevent mental problems, including depression.
Which mental health issues are treated with Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is effective in treating multiple mental health issues, but the most common ones are as follows:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Postanal depression
- Prenatal depression
- Eating disorders
- Personality disorders
- Adjustment disorders
- Mood disorders
How effective is Psychotherapy for Depression?
Psychotherapy is considered highly effective for the treatment of depression. Different researchers have reported that people grappling with depressive or anxious thoughts get benefits from psychotherapy or talk therapy. Psychotherapist assists individuals in developing positive thoughts and ideas that prevent the onset of depression and other common mental health issues. Instead of just focusing on the undesired thought patterns, individuals get a new perspective of their mind. Before waiting for the depression symptoms to get worse, individuals can implement early preventive or coping strategies for the depression.
What is Depression?
Depression is a common mental illness that exerts a negative effect on thoughts. This mental illness is also called clinical depression or major depression. Affected individuals do not have control over their minds. They do not understand what they think, feel, and behave. Moreover, they remain stressed for a more extended period. They do not find happiness in anything and think their life is useless. Due to their sadness or low energy levels, they also face multiple issues in different phases of their life.
Who is more likely to suffer from Depression?
Any individual, including children, teenagers as well as adults, can suffer from depression symptoms. However, females are more likely to suffer from depression as compared to men. Females are more sensitive to environmental conditions or stress factors and, therefore, exhibit more anger and emotional intensity. Males do not usually show their emotional highs, and thus, in most cases, their depression symptoms remain undiagnosed.
What are the types of Depression?
There are different types of depression, but the most common are as follows:
Major depressive disorder
Major depression is the most common and severe type of depression. If you are feeling sad or low for a longer period, along with the reduced energy levels, then there is a greater possibility that you are suffering from major depression. Moreover, sleeping issues, lack of passion or interest in productive activities, and eating abnormalities are also the most common symptoms of major depression.
Atypical depression
This type of depression comprises the atypical features as the symptoms are quite different from the typical depression. Although the person suffering from depression symptoms feels sadness but can get happy after experiencing any positive incident in life. Likewise, other symptoms also improve for a shorter period, and the person feels good.
Persistent depressive disorder
As the name indicates, this type of depression is more persistent as compared to other types. If your depression symptoms are from two years or more, then you are having a persistent depressive disorder. However, the major difference between persistent depressive disorder and major depression is the severity of symptoms. The symptoms of persistent depressive disorder are less severe as compared to the clinical or major depression.
Seasonal depression
Seasonal depression is a type of depression that is limited to specific seasons. You might have noticed that some people feel sad or low during the winter. At the same time, some people, on the other hand, feel happy during the spring or summer season. Their mood is associated with the season, and they get so glad when a particular season starts or ends.
Disruptive mood regulation disorder
This type of depression is more common in children. The onset of the symptoms of this type of depression usually occurs in the early childhood stages. Moreover, affected children exhibit more anger outbursts, mood swings, and irritable behavior.
Prenatal & Postpartum depression
There are some types of depression which are only restricted to females. However, males or the loved ones of affected females can also get depressed due to their depressive mood and behavior. Prenatal and postpartum depression are the most common types of depression that occur during and after pregnancy. If the depression symptoms appear during the pregnancy stages, then it is referred to as prenatal depression. However, if the females get depression after giving birth to a child, then it is called postpartum depression.
How to diagnose the Depression?
Each individual should be aware of the common symptoms of depression to self-evaluate their mental condition. However, only professionals can better evaluate and diagnose depression. If they suspect that depression is linked to any physical issue, then they also determine the previous medical history. Moreover, they also perform a psychological evaluation in which they ask different questions of the affected individuals to better understand their thoughts, emotions, and behavioral patterns. Based on the results of the diagnosis, they develop therapeutic plans to treat the symptoms of depression.
Psychotherapy for Pediatric depression
If your child is exhibiting persistent emotional ups and downs, even without any apparent reason, then it might be a sign of depression. Depression can affect your child’s mental and physical health. Your children will face difficulty handling their relationships and personal and professional life. Various recent studies have reported that approximately 3% of children suffer from depression between the ages of 3 to 14. However, let’s compare the rate of depression between children and teenagers. Teenagers are more likely to suffer from depression symptoms as they exhibit more sensitivity to the extrinsic factors contributing to depression. However, children suffering from depression can quickly recover with the help of psychotherapy and medications.
Psychotherapy for Depression in older adults
Just like adults, older adults can also suffer from depression. They are also more prone to get the symptoms of clinical or major depression. However, only 10% of them get the treatment. Different factors can cause the misdiagnosis of depression symptoms in older adults. In most cases, symptoms of depression are usually overlapped with the symptoms of other mental illnesses. While suffering from depression, they feel more tired. Likewise, they also experience body aches and difficulty sleeping and eating. However, experts have also recommended psychotherapy for depression in older adults. Older people can also manage their anxiety or depression symptoms and live a happier and stress-free life.
What are the different types of psychotherapy for Depression?
There are different types of psychotherapy for depression, but the most common and major ones are as follows:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
As the name indicates, cognitive behavioral therapy is focused explicitly on cognitive thoughts and the associated behavior. Thoughts are the primary factor that can cause the development of undesired and harmful changes in the brain, which in turn lead to the development of common mental health issues, including depression. Individuals suffering from depression have reduced control over their thoughts. Their mind only generates negative thoughts and avoids focusing on positive thoughts. This makes it difficult for them to pass their entire day. They prefer to stay alone instead of interacting in any social community.
Therefore, cognitive behavioral experts target the triggers of negative thoughts. They develop a secure, friendly, and nonjudgemental environment so individuals share all their mental health concerns with them. Without any fear of social stigma, judgment, or embarrassment, they speak their heart out in front of experts. Then, therapists guide them to explore their positive thoughts and behavior and find ways to challenge and overcome their negative thoughts.
Moreover, they also find the triggers of their anxiety and depression and learn to avoid them. Experts teach different strategies to the individual on how they can manage the symptoms of depression. They ask the individuals to make a gratitude list, keeping themselves busy with useful activities. Likewise, if children are having depression symptoms, then they give them different productive assignments for their home. Moreover, they also guide their teachers to assist them in overcoming depression symptoms. Ultimately, individuals learn how to transform their negative thoughts and improve their moods and behavior.
Dialectical behavioral therapy
Dialectical behavioral therapy is also a type of psychotherapy that is based on cognitive therapy. Moreover, it incorporates elements of mindfulness techniques. In early times, this psychotherapy was only used to treat borderline personality disorder. Still, nowadays, it is gaining popularity due to the effective treatment of anxiety, depression as well as other mood disorders.
During the sessions of dialectical behavioral therapy, individuals are guided to accept, acknowledge, and challenge their negative thoughts and behavior. Most individuals with depression usually get afraid of their negative thoughts and do not make efforts to get rid of them. Therefore, experts teach them different ways to deal with other stressful situations by learning different coping strategies. Moreover, they also learn different social skills and show their effective contribution to each social community and improve their relationships. Furthermore, mindfulness components make this therapy more significant as it assists individuals in accepting reality and facing stressful situations with a relaxed mind, courage, and confidence.
Psychodynamic therapy
Psychodynamic therapy is a more traditional type of psychotherapy. Experts believe that every previous life experience strongly impacts the present mental state and behavior. If you have experienced any trauma or tragic incident in your childhood, then you are more likely to suffer from common mental health issues, including depression. However, most people remain unaware of the previous life trigger factors.
So, experts in psychodynamic psychotherapy for depression aim to make individuals aware of the unconscious mental processes that take over their present emotions and behavior. Affected individuals find out which kind of their previous traumatic experiences or events are disrupting their mental state and leading to depression. Moreover, individuals also get familiar with each type of emotion and learn different useful ways how they can control them and prevent the onset of depression.
Interpersonal therapy
As the name indicates, this therapy plays a significant role in improving interpersonal conflicts. Individuals suffering from depression are unable to develop and regulate their relationships with their family, friends, and loved ones. Due to their depressive thoughts, they do not think before speaking. Therefore, their communication issues with others also lead to more anxiety or depression. The main focus of each interpersonal psychotherapy for depression is to address all the interpersonal issues and guide the individuals in different ways to improve social and interpersonal interactions.
Although there are different trigger factors of depression, with the help of this therapy, individuals find that any relationship issue stems from depression. Individuals learn various significant ways to improve their communication and their relationship with their loved ones. Ultimately, they eradicate their depression symptoms and build a strong and stable social network that helps them achieve success in each aspect of their social life.
Mindfulness-based psychotherapy
This therapy usually combines cognitive elements with mindfulness techniques. Individuals with depressive mental states do not pay attention to themself and only keep their mind busy with negative or intrusive thoughts. However, attaining a relaxed mind and soul is entirely significant to prevent the onset of depression symptoms. With the help of mindfulness-based psychotherapy, individuals take a chance to observe their thoughts and emotions deeply. Experts ask individuals to implement different mindfulness strategies in their lives, including yoga, meditation, and different exercises. With time, they learn to respond positively to situations that contribute to the development of depression.
Supportive psychotherapy
Those individuals who are grappling with any mental illness, such as anxiety or depression, always require support to cope with the stress factors. Supportive psychotherapy for depression focuses on a solid therapeutic relationship between the mental health expert and affected individuals. If individuals are not getting any external support to deal with the depression symptoms, then they can rely on the support of highly experienced and skilled mental health professionals. With the help of supportive professionals, individuals learn different useful and reliable ways to navigate their mental health issues with compassion and comfort. The main role of each supportive expert is not only to implement the best practical knowledge and skills but also to provide the desired mental health support to overcome depression symptoms.
How long does Psychotherapy take?
Different psychotherapies have different durations, depending on various factors, including the extent or severity of symptoms and each individual’s requirements. Based on the duration, there are two different types of psychotherapies such as:
Short term psychotherapy
The short term psychotherapy involves fewer durations of sessions, including 15 to 20 sessions. Short-term psychotherapy is significant for mild mental health issues, and the person can recover easily after taking regular psychotherapy sessions.
Long term psychotherapy
Long-term psychotherapy is useful for those individuals who are suffering from chronic mental health issues. Likewise, this is also beneficial for treating treatment-resistant depression. Moreover, the number of sessions is also greater than that of short-term psychotherapy. Depending on the mental state of the individual, sessions can last for several months. Long-term psychotherapy also prevents the relapse of depression symptoms.
Psychotherapy Approaches for Depression
Different approaches for psychotherapy work differently for each individual, such as:
Individual therapy
Individual therapy sessions involve the direct interaction of a mental health professional with a single mental health patient. The entire psychotherapy session is conducted in a confidential environment, as only the patient is present in the setting. Experts encourage individuals to share their emotional and psychological difficulties with the experts. Moreover, individual therapy can be short-term or long-term, depending on the individual’s requirements.
After performing the psychological evaluation, experts guide the individuals on which tools are helpful to cope with their mental issues. There are multiple benefits of individual therapy sessions as individuals not only get the finest treatment for their mental health issues but also identify their hidden potential. Moreover, they also get familiar with their strength and weaknesses, which helps them deal with depression and other common mental health issues.
Group therapy
Group therapy is effective for those individuals who have confidence issues. During the group therapy sessions, individuals battling with the same mental health issues interact with each other. They share their previous and current life experiences and learn from each other experiences. Individuals can learn different social skills that will help them later in life. Moreover, by speaking their heart out in front of others, they gain confidence and improve their self-esteem.
Psychotherapy and Counseling for Depression
Both psychotherapy and counseling are types of psychological treatments. Although both exhibit major similarities, there are also some major differences, which are as follows:
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a long-term psychological treatment that focuses on recurring or chronic mental health issues.
Talk therapy is based on the theoretical facts.
During the psychotherapy sessions, experts employ the treatment by following the guidelines.
Psychotherapy is long-term.
Only psychological professionals deliver the psychotherapies to get results.
Psychotherapy comprises different talk therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, etc.
Psychotherapists only focus on the patterns of thoughts and behavior.
Counselling
Counseling is a short-term therapy that only focuses on the specific symptom or current mental health issues.
CounsellingAny theory does not drive counseling.
Unlike psychotherapy, counseling specialists do not rely on principles or guidelines.
Counseling is short-term
In addition to being professionals, volunteers can also work as counselors.
Counseling only involves talk therapy.
Counseling is only focused on treating specific behaviors other than thoughts and perceptions.
Psychotherapy vs Medication for Depression
Although depression affects the quality of life, fortunately, this mental condition is treatable with the effective strategy of medication and psychotherapy for depression. Each therapeutic approach for depression involves the use of psychiatric medications and psychotherapy to treat depression. Some experts prefer the intake of psychiatric medications only, while some recommend the combined usage of both psychiatric medications and psychotherapies.
Moreover, different studies have also reported the effectiveness of medications and psychotherapy in getting relief from the symptoms of depression. Experts who favor their combined usage believe that both medications and talk therapies work in synergy complement each other, and impart desired and stronger effects on different brain areas.
Furthermore, the extent of the symptoms of depression also decides what should be considered first in recovery from depression. If the symptoms are mild, then psychotherapy can work better. However, if the symptoms are severe, then the individual should rely on the intake of psychiatric medications after getting the expert recommendation.
Which psychiatric medications are used to treat Depression?
Different types of psychiatric medications are used to treat depression, but most commonly, antidepressants are used. Antidepressants specifically regulate the level of neurotransmitters, which include dopamine, serotonin as well as norepinephrine. However, always remember that they do not provide complete relief from the depression symptoms; they function in managing the symptoms. If the symptoms of your depression get severe or chronic, you can rely on the intake of antidepressants. The experts recommend the following antidepressants to treat depression:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
- Serotonin modulators
- Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
- Atypical depressants
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
However, individuals should only take antidepressants after the expert’s recommendation to prevent any side effects.
What are the other treatment options for Depression?
Other than psychotherapy, some other treatment ways are considered helpful in managing depression symptoms.
Electroconvulsive therapy
If the depression symptoms get severe, then electroconvulsive therapy is applied. Moreover, this therapy is also used in those cases when traditional treatments do not work. In this therapy, mild electric impulses are applied to the brain, which trigger the activity of different areas of the brain. The best part about this therapy is that it is extremely safe and does not cause any side effects.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is also used to treat depression. This therapy involves creating a magnetic field in which an electric current is applied to the brain, which stimulates the activity of specific nerve cells in the prefrontal cortex region of the brain. Ultimately, this activity improves mood and behavior.
Vagus nerve stimulation
This therapy involves the stimulation of the vagus nerve to control the depression. Vagus nerve stimulation is effective for treating treatment-resistant depression. During this therapy, experts implant a device in the chest region, which is named a pacemaker. This device then sends the electrical impulses to the vagus nerve, which in turn stimulates and controls the activity of neurons. This results in different changes in the brain, which in turn suppress the depression symptoms.
How does Brainpower Wellness Institute provide psychotherapy for Depression?
Brainpower Wellness Institute is an ideal mental health platform as it provides the most effective treatment for depression. Our mental health experts offer evidence-based psychotherapy for depression that helps each individual overcome the symptoms of depression as well as other common mental health disorders. Each therapist works by considering the psychotherapy treatment goals for depression. Moreover, they also focus on what kind of psychotherapy is used for depression. So stop searching for psychotherapy for depression near me, as you can find the reliable and finest psychotherapy techniques for depression.
Related Post:
