Table of contents:
- Symptoms of depression
- Psychological treatment of depression
- Other recommendations for treating depression
Rating: 4.4 (5 votes) 6 comments By Lcdo. Fernando Valencia. March 5, 2018
Practically 95% of us go through a state of depression at some point in our lives and it is one of the most common pathologies in psychology consultation. There is depression when we suffer a frequent alteration of the state of mind producing in us a state of psychological decay, normally related to disinterest, sadness, demoralization, decreased self-esteem… and so on.
In this PsychologyOnline article, we explain the best psychological treatment for depression.
You may also be interested in: Depression with anxiety: physical and psychological symptoms Index- Symptoms of depression
- Psychological treatment of depression
- Other recommendations for treating depression
Symptoms of depression
- Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or emptiness.
- Feelings of hopelessness and / or pessimism.
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and / or helplessness.
- Irritability and restlessness.
- Loss of interest in leisure activities that were previously enjoyable.
- Fatigue and lack of energy.
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions.
- Insomnia or sleeping excessively.
- Eating excessively, loss of appetite…
- Suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts
- Persistent physical aches and pains (headaches, digestive problems, muscle aches).
Psychological treatment of depression
Which is the most suitable? We are not all the same, nor do the same therapies come in handy. Under my experience in the treatment of depression we must work with different techniques and procedures that we adapt to the person and their particular situation, taking into account their behaviors, their personal relationships and their life history. The therapy is aimed at the patient learning to solve current and / or past problems and conflicts, through understanding oneself and their emotional reactions, as well as increasing self-confidence and learning strategies coping skills that allow you to solve difficult situations. The goal is for the person to become autonomous, boost your self-esteem and know how to independently face situations that previously bothered you.
Although I firmly believe that the therapy must be adapted to the patient using the most appropriate for him, we can name the most used psychological therapies for their specific nature for depression: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT).
Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been shown to be as effective as interpersonal psychotherapy (slower to achieve its objectives than CBT and pharmacotherapy) and pharmacological therapy, which has made it the psychotherapeutic therapy of choice in the treatment of depression moderate, severe, or resistant.
The duration of therapy will vary depending on the type of depression diagnosed, the personal situation of the patient and his evolution. In patients with severe or chronic depression, if psychotherapeutic therapy is associated with pharmacological treatment, the effectiveness will always be superior to any of these therapies alone.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, associated with maintenance treatment, contributes to increasing its effectiveness to avoid the appearance of recurrences. This is especially beneficial for those patients with a history of relapses, or who have residual symptoms, since they are the ones who have a greater risk of suffering depressive episodes again.
Other recommendations for treating depression
- Self-help guided by the psychologist: Through the advice of the psychologist in question, the training of the patient in self-help helps them to acquire self-control and symptom management skills. Mental Training, Specific Books, Relaxation Audios, NLP Audios, Self-Analysis Tests… etc. are some examples of the application of self-help to the treatment of depression.
- Physical exercise: The ability of physical exercise to improve personal well-being, both physical and mental, is increasingly scientifically proven. In patients with mild-moderate depression, an exercise program of moderate intensity, 40-45 minutes, 2-3 times a week, for a period of 10 to 12 weeks, could lead to a clear improvement in depressive symptoms.
- St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum): Without becoming a drug, Hypericum or St. John's Wort has antidepressant properties, proven in numerous studies. My experience in the office is very good, especially in mild-moderate depression, but it should be used with caution because it could present interactions with other medications and should always be taken under the prescription and supervision of a healthcare professional.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Psychological treatment for depression, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical Psychology.