Depression - Psychotherapy Treatment

Have you lost all interest or pleasure in any activity? Feel worthlessness or hopelessness? When these feelings are accompanied by changes in appetite and sleep, problems concentrating and physical complaints, the chance is high that you have a depression. In this case an appropriate diagnosis and early treatment by a physician is very important. Look through the information to find out how to recognize and treat depression.

Psychotherapy Treatment

Psychological treatment of depression (psychotherapy) assists the depressed individual in several ways.

First, supportive counseling helps ease the pain of depression, and addresses the feelings of hopelessness that accompany depression.

Second, cognitive therapy changes the pessimistic ideas, unrealistic expectations, and overly critical self-evaluations that create depression and sustain it.

Cognitive treatment helps the depressed person recognize which life problems are critical, and which are minor. This also helps him/her to develop positive life goals, and a more positive self-assessment.
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For third, problem solving therapy changes the areas of the person's life that are creating significant stress, and contributing to the depression. It may require behavioral therapy to develop better coping skills, or Interpersonal therapy, to assist in solving relationship problems.

Unfortunately, a lot of poorly trained counselors never move beyond providing supportive counseling. It alone will not eliminate the depression. Consequently, the depression, and the therapy, continues indefinitely, with little improvement.

Helpful counseling "feels" helpful, and as part of the overall treatment plan does help. However, unless the depressed person makes critical life changes, the depression will continue. Such changes are both internal and external.

Internal changes usually are needed in problem assessment, self-evaluation, the evaluation of others, and the expectations the depressed person has for himself/herself, others and about life.

External changes can be needed in problem solving skills, stress management, communication skills, life management skills, and the skills needed to develop and sustain relationships.

The length of cure will vary, according to the severity of the depression, and the number and kind of life problems that need to be addressed. Most people will start to experience some relief with 6 to 10 sessions, and approximately 70-80% of those treated notice significant improvement within 20-30 sessions.

Mild depression can be treated in less session, and more significant depression may require extended treatment.

Healing sessions are usually scheduled once per week, although they may be scheduled more frequently initially, or if the person is experiencing significant life crises.