A Therapist’s First Line of Defense Against Depression

Depression is an issue that could plague any of our lives. It is a problem that is so strongly ingrained within our society that we are all affected by it, if not for ourselves then definitely in our friend circle and family. In such a scenario, only a trained mental health therapist can help sufferers find relief and lead them towards a happier healthier life. Let’s understand what are the tools that a therapist has at his disposal in this regard.

Guided therapy over a period of time is of course one of the best ways to address and deal with depression. For starters, these therapy sessions help the therapist in understanding the individual and get a sense of their unique quirks and issues. The next step would be the identify triggers and patterns and communicate them with the individual. Then begins the process of helping them rebuild their confidence and self-image and help them reclaim their lives and happiness. All of this is achieved over a period of time and is essential for their happiness. However, at this point, even group therapy can play an important role. One of the biggest issues related to depression is social isolation. Due to the nature of the condition, people tend to isolate themselves from society. They further believe that nobody will understand their condition and hence reduce human interactions even further.

In this process, people alienate themselves from society to such an extent that they then find it extremely difficult to reconnect even when they want to. This further discourages them from getting back into a social life and creates a vicious circle of loneliness. What group therapy does is gets a bunch of these individuals together and makes them talk about their issues. This fosters a sense of bonhomie and helps people feel less alone.