Depression - Psychological treatment

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Main article: Clinical depression

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• Depression - Clinical guidelines
• Depression - Clinical protocols
• CAT treatment of depression
• CBT for depression
• Human Givens treatment of depression
• Psychotherapy for depression
• Psychoanalytic treatment of depresssion
• REBT treatment of depression
• Depression - Medication

Psychotherapy

In psychotherapy, or counseling, one receives assistance in understanding and resolving problems that may be contributing to depression. This may be done individually or with a group and is conducted by health professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or psychiatric nurses. It is important to ask about the therapist's training and approach; a very close bond often forms between practitioner and client, and it is important that the client feel understood by the clinician.

Counselors can help a person make changes in thinking patterns, deal with relationship problems, detect and deal with relapses, and understand the factors that contribute to depression.

There are many therapeutic approaches, but all are aimed at improving one's personal and interpersonal functioning. Cognitive therapy, also known as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, focuses on how people think about themselves and their relationships. It helps depressed people learn to replace negative depressive thoughts with positive ones, as well as develop more effective coping behaviors and skills. Therapy can be used to help a person develop or improve interpersonal skills in order to allow him or her to communicate more effectively and reduce stress. Interpersonal psychotherapy focuses on the social and interpersonal triggers that cause their depression. Narrative therapy gives attention to each person's "dominant story" by means of therapeutic conversations, which also may involve exploring unhelpful ideas and how they came to prominence. Possible social and cultural influences may be explored if the client deems it helpful. Behavioral therapy is based on the assumption that behaviors are learned. This type of therapy attempts to teach people more healthful types of behaviors. Supportive therapy encourages people to discuss their problems and provides them with emotional support. The focus is on sharing information, ideas, and strategies for coping with daily life. Family therapy helps people live together more harmoniously and undo patterns of destructive behavior.

Exercise

New evidence suggests that aerobic exercise eases depression nearly as well as commonly prescribed antidepressant medications do. The results described are for patients with mild or moderate depression in a study conducted by Dr. James Blumenthal of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, United States. The study included 202 patients randomly assigned to one of four settings: supervised group-exercise, a home exercise program, antidperessant treatment with Sertraline (Zoloft), or a placebo-pill treatment. After four months, depression largely cleared up in 45% of the group exercise patients, 40% of the home group, 47% of the medication group, and 31% of the placebo group.

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