Depression Treatment Methods
People suffering from depression can avail a range of treatment methods. These include psychotherapies as well as alternative treatments and medications.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a kind of psychotherapy that helps people recognize and correct their distorted thinking patterns. Other options include acceptance and commitment therapy as well as dialectical therapy for behavioral disorders that are both designed for depression that is resistant to treatment.
Medication
The most commonly used and effective treatment for depression is medication. They are especially effective in cases of severe or moderate depression or when there is a high risk of suicide. Treatment can ease symptoms quickly, and it can also help prevent relapses.
Several types of antidepressant medications have been proven to combat depression. The most popular is fluoxetine (Prozac). It is taken orally in tablet form and has been around for a long time. However, more recent drugs like sertraline (Zoloft) and citalopram (Celexa), may be more effective and have less negative side effects.
For those suffering from severe depression, talking therapy is often paired with medication. Psychotherapy is designed to help you better comprehend your depression and to help you learn how to deal with it. It can be done by yourself, in conjunction with a health professional or with a group of patients in groups. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), and interpersonal therapy are two forms of talk therapy which have been proven helpful.
Other treatments for depression include exercise, light therapy and meditation. A light box that mimics bright sunlight is used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It can also be used to treat depression that is chronic in people with bipolar disorder.
Your doctor could also prescribe medication that treats a physical or mental illness in conjunction with an antidepressant to increase the effectiveness. This is referred to as augmenting. It could include an antianxiety medication, mood stabilizers or antipsychotic medications or even thyroid hormone.
If your depression is mild and not too severe, your GP might recommend waiting a little while to see if the symptoms go away by themselves. This is often referred to as watchingful waiting. It is important to keep in touch with your GP, and make regular appointments for them to monitor your progress.
Certain people suffering from depression may also benefit from other treatments like reflexology, in which pressure is applied to specific points on the body, or for energy healing. Some patients experience relief through meditation or yoga. Some people find comfort through chanting or prayer. If your depression is very serious, or you're having thoughts of suicide, it's essential to seek treatment as soon as you can.
Psychotherapy
Talk therapy, also known by the term psychotherapy can help people learn how to cope with their symptoms and discover why they are depressed. It can be used on its own or in conjunction with medications. It is crucial to begin treatment as soon as you begin to notice symptoms and keep up with your sessions.
There are several types of psychotherapy, and each one is suited to specific circumstances or clinical circumstances. Individual therapy involves just you and a therapist, group therapy is for two or more persons, and family therapy can teach your loved ones how to support you. Some therapists are specialists in certain areas such as relationships or trauma from childhood. They are able to offer specific treatment.
Psychotherapy can be classified into cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy. Behavioral therapy can help you learn how to cope with depression, and can change your behaviour patterns that aren't beneficial. Cognitive therapy focuses on changing pessimistic perceptions and destructive thinking patterns that lead to depression. Interpersonal psychotherapy is a short-term therapy that is designed to address issues in relationships that are closely associated with your depression.
Getting the right type of therapy for you may require some time and patience but it's well worth it in the long run. It's also beneficial to have a support system to help you stay on the right track with your treatment. Talk to trusted family members or friends or joining a depression support group, or reading self-help books and websites.
It's important that you see a doctor if you have a serious condition like an illness or injury. This will help determine if your depression caused by a physical problem. If you have an illness that is serious like an illness or injury It is important to consult an expert doctor to determine if there is an actual cause for your depression. Combining psychotherapy with medication is an an effective way to treat depression. Keep in mind that all types of treatment for depression take some time, and you may have a few ups and downs as you go through the process. If you are able to stick to your plan, you will be in a position to beat depression.
Light therapy
Light therapy involves sitting with a special light box, or lamp that emits bright sunlight. It's a well-known treatment for those suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It works by mimicking natural sunlight and can improve mood and energy levels. It's also proven to help improve sleep problems that are often linked with depression. It is believed that light therapy works by changing the rhythm of the circadian cycle and increasing serotonin in the brain. It's also possible that it has a positive impact on the levels of other hormones such as melatonin. depression treatment and recovery is released during sleep.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence suggests that SAD be treated the same as other types depression. This could include talk therapies like cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), antidepressants and light therapy. It's most effective when started at the beginning of winter before symptoms begin to manifest and continues until spring.
A recent study of the use of light therapy for the treatment of SAD has revealed that the majority of patients who took it experienced remission after completing strict criteria for diagnosis. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-SAD version, a well-established measurement of symptoms, showed a reduction. The study concluded that the treatment is safe and well-tolerated.
It is important to remember that although light therapy has been proven to be an effective treatment for SAD however, it cannot be relied on as a whole. It's still necessary to see a doctor and follow their advice. It's also important to remain active, eat healthy food and sleep enough, and to try to reduce stress.
In addition to light treatment, antidepressants also have been proven to be effective in the treatment of SAD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most frequently prescribed type of antidepressant to treat SAD and can improve your mood in just several weeks. They can cause negative effects, including dry mouth nausea, diarrhoea, nausea and constipation, but these typically go away quickly.
Some people might discover that light therapy does not improve their symptoms or they experience unpleasant side effects such as eye strain, headache irritation to the skin. They can be minimized by altering the duration of treatment, the time of day or the product employed.
Alternative or complementary therapies
Prescription medication is a standard treatment option for depression, but it's not right for everyone. If a treatment doesn't work or has unacceptably adverse side-effects, it might be time to look into a complementary or alternative therapy. These are therapies that focus on your physical or spiritual well-being and can alleviate symptoms of depression, including anxiety and pain.
Acupuncture involves inserting needles into different parts of the body, like your hands, ears or feet. It can alleviate a variety of symptoms including insomnia, anxiety, and depression. It's been shown to work as well as antidepressants but doesn't have the same side effects.
Mindfulness meditation: This type of therapy focuses on the ability to look at your thoughts and emotions without judgement and will allow you to feel more in control of your emotions. It can be done by yourself or with a trained therapist.
Yoga: This type of exercise helps reduce depression and stress. It also improves your breathing and provides you with a the feeling of being well-being.
Massage is a soothing experience, and deep-tissue massages can help with muscle tightness depression, anxiety and tension. Aromatherapy Inhaling essential oils can help lift a depressed mood.
Energy healing involves techniques such as yoga, reiki, and tai chi. They are based on the notion that the cause of illness is energy blockages.
Exercise: Walking, swimming or any other form of movement can be helpful in treating depression. A recent study showed that 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week helped reduce depression symptoms.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): This is a relatively new therapy that uses repeated exposure to a stressful memory to help the brain process it. It has been shown that EMDR is very effective for PTSD. However it is still a matter of research to establish its effectiveness for depression.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists reviewed the evidence available for a variety of CAM treatments for depression, including bright light therapy and acupuncture. However, the reviews were small and some were not without limitations, like the small number of trials included and small sample sizes. Consequently, the Royal College of Psychiatrists is not suggesting any CAM treatments for depression.