Managing Depression: Psychotherapy
Managing Depression: PsychotherapyWhen someone is diagnosed with depression, they may be prescribed a combination of medication andPsychotherapy or Talk Therapy to treat their condition. To get the most from talk therapy, it helps tounderstand how it works and what to expect.“We’re trying to return someone back to an active life.”In Talk Therapy sessions, you work with a trained therapist to explore and understand the thoughts, feelings,and behaviors that may be fueling your depression.“My therapy was talking about my problems and what I was kind of feeling or experiencing every week.And then from there we would try to decide what I could do to help improve my self-confidence andself-worth.”Alex Langosch started therapy after being diagnosed with depression in high school. Like most people, Alexfinds that therapy together with medication help with his negative feelings. For him, the two work bettertogether than they do alone – but each person’s treatment plan is different.“You have the more traditional psychotherapy where people come in and kind of have a conversationabout how did their week go and those kinds of things. And when we’re talking behavior therapy, it’smore of a teaching model.”The most common type of psychotherapy is CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It focuses on how aperson’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors interact to bring about symptoms of depression. Other types ofpsychotherapy include Interpersonal Therapy or IPT, which is centered around the relationships people havewith others, and problem-solving therapy, which helps people with depression learn more effective problemsolving skills. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, therapists help patients become more aware of unhealthypatterns of thinking and behaving so they can make changes in their life to improve their condition.“If you’re sad or depressed, we’re going to kind of take a look at what sorts of thoughts you’re havingthat have generated sadness and what are you doing behaviorally that kind of reinforces that and kindof keeps this sad mood in place.”Jim Hill credits CBT with getting his life back on track after depression led to a suicide attempt in 1993.“Was very effective in helping you navigate through the difficulties that come up as a result of the stuffthat has to be dredged up.”For Jim, that meant confronting childhood abuse at the hands of his father who also suffered from depressionbut was never treated. Jim’s CBT sessions helped him learn to cope with his troubled past and understandhow it led to the symptoms of his own depression – isolation and extreme sadness.“To explore the actual nature of these experiences and begin teasing them apart and understandinghow they fit into a much larger picture. For me, that was a very beneficial, helpful way of looking at itlike I had never thought of before.”“The ultimate goal of CBT is really no different than any other form of therapy or treatment and that isa significant reduction of symptoms. These things are going to impair someone in their social life, theirThis program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthc are provider.HCGN10080B EN ManagingDepressionPsychotherapy.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 2Managing Depression: Psychotherapyfamily relationships, at work or at school, and we’re trying again to bring them back to functioning at amuch higher level.”You also learn helpful coping skills in cognitive behavioral therapy, such as relaxation exercises and stressmanagement techniques. Alex found one coping skill to be very effective.“Making a list of things that I know are good about myself and that I know people like about me. And itjust kind of reaffirms that there are things about me that you know are positive and that other peoplelike about me as well.”Attending therapy with loved ones can also help heal relationships and provide support. Sometimes it’s thoseclosest to you who notice changes in you first.“Speak up. If you see it, ask about it. Are you feeling ok? You seem a bit sad. Is there somethinggoing on?”Finding the right therapy is just like finding the right medication – it might take a bit of trial and error.“It’s definitely a process. And just because I didn’t have success with one therapist, I had to tell myselfnot to get discouraged. Once I found the one that worked with me, I stuck with him.”“You can regain your life. No matter how dark and distorted it becomes, you can regain your life.Treatment is worth it.”If you think you need help with depression, reach out to a medical professional for assistance with that firststep to treatment.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthc are provider.HCGN10080B EN ManagingDepressionPsychotherapy.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 2 of 2
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