Depression is a mental issue that is often misunderstood because its symptoms may appear quite similar to “having the blues”, especially at the onset. However, people who are suffering from depression can attest to how difficult and debilitating this mental problem is considering that it negatively impacts the physical, mental, and psychological well-being of a person. For this reason, alone, it is evident that an individual suffering from depression receives depression treatment immediately.
While there are symptoms of depression that can be observed among a majority of depressive patients, it is important to stress that depression affects every individual in a different manner. Every person is unique, which is why the nature and extent of depression vary among people. This is the reason why you have to be wary of depression treatment centers that promote a single “foolproof” depression treatment that is applicable to everyone.
If you want to get treated for depression, it is best that you arm yourself with information on the various treatment methods available. Here are four of the most effective depression treatment options that you may want to consider:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective therapeutic methods to address depression. CBT is anchored on the principle that a person’s thought pattern directly affects his mood. This means that when a person’s pattern of thought is negative and destructive, his mood and behavior will be negatively affected as well. Needless to say, people who entertain pessimistic thoughts are more predisposed to depression.
CBT aims to assist the depressed person in learning more about his pattern of thought especially to identify negative thoughts. Once the negative thoughts are identified, the person is encouraged to evaluate its validity and learn how to substitute them for more positive and healthier thought patterns.
- Interpersonal Therapy
As the name suggests, interpersonal therapy is a form of psychotherapy that targets the depressed person’s interpersonal relationships. While it is true that not all depression is caused by one’s relationship with other people, it is still difficult to discount the fact that those who are suffering from depression are also experiencing interpersonal issues. For this reason, interpersonal therapy aims to help the depressed person to improve the way he communicates with others.
Note that unlike other forms of psychotherapy, interpersonal therapy does not deal with subconscious issues but focuses on the present state and reality of one’s depression.
- Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy traces its roots from Freud’s concept of psychoanalysis. Similar to psychoanalysis, a depressed patient who is participating in psychodynamic therapy is led to explore past experiences and deeply hidden emotions, both conscious and unconscious, in order to identify the root cause of depression and address the same.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is a treatment approach that was originally used to prevent depression relapse. This kind of therapy is based on the principles of mediation wherein the person is led to experience a deeper sense of self-awareness. During the process of mindfulness meditation, the person is taught on how to be fully aware of every little feeling, body sensation, and thought. This increased sense of awareness helps the person to simplify what he is presently experiencing by breaking each emotion down instead of feeling overwhelmed. This experience helps the patient to feel some sense of control and ability to manage his emotions.
The various treatment options discussed above are utilized by depression rehab facilities to help their patients in the recovery process. Any, a combination, or all these options may be used depending on the nature and condition of the depressed patient. Ultimately, the creation of treatment plan to help a patient depends on numerous factors that need to be cautiously assessed and evaluated in order to come up with the most suitable treatment program.