Psychotherapy for depression

Psychotherapy or talk therapy is one of the effective ways to treat depression. Psychotherapy can help understand one the different underlying reasons for depression and various coping mechanisms involved. Depression therapy can take various forms and it is suggested that psychotherapy along with antidepressants is one of the best ways to treat depression as it focuses on the bio-psycho aspects of it. There are many kinds of therapy that can help treat depression and the one that is suitable for you depends on your symptoms, your preferences, and your therapy goals.

Cognitive therapy: Working on your thoughts and emotions lies at the core of cognitive therapy. It usually lasts for six to 12 weeks and the therapist helps you understand the different perspectives of every emotion you’ve feeling. Your thinking patterns that previously dwelled in the negative, now try to look at the silver lining.

Behavioural therapy: Behavioural therapy focuses on changing the behavioural patterns that can change emotions. Engaging in certain behaviors and activities that make one ‘feel-good’ is a part of the behavioural therapy.

Cognitive behavioural therapy: Over the years, therapists have realise that cognitive and behavioural therapy work best together for treating depression and anxiety disorders. The combined approach called CBT focuses on both negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to depression.

Interpersonal therapy: Poor interpersonal and social interactions can also contribute to depression. Interpersonal therapy involves understanding the social interactions and relationships with important people in your life.

Therapy formats: Therapy can take place in various formats. Your therapist can suggest more than one format too. Some of the popular formats are individual therapy, group therapy, couple’s therapy, and family therapy. Each format has some specific goals and is framed differently. Group therapy often happens with 10 - 15 patients with a therapist. Family therapy is extremely useful for children and teens to improve the dynamics of the entire family.

No matter what the technique, type or format, the decision to seek help in order to improve your mental health is one of the best decisions you could take.