6 Therapy Types Used In Treating Depression
December 10, 2022
Therapy for depression is a form of mental health treatment that helps individuals examine their feelings and behaviours to understand better why they are feeling a certain way or engaging in certain behaviours.
Through therapy, people can learn how to identify their triggers for depression and develop healthy coping skills to manage their emotions. Additionally, therapy can help people gain insight into any underlying issues that are causing or contributing to their depression and can provide them with a safe, supportive environment to explore these issues.
Finding a type of therapy for depression that works for you is essential. Everyone is different and various types of treatment may be better suited for different individuals. It's important to consider your own needs, preferences, and the severity of your depression before deciding which type of therapy to pursue.
Here are the six therapy types used in treating depression:
1. Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive therapy suggests that our outlook on life can significantly impact our feelings. It encourages us to look for the good in any situation and to make an effort to think positively. This can lead to an improved emotional state and a more positive attitude.
Negative thinking can be a major factor in feeling depressed. It can be difficult to feel good when you continually have negative thoughts in your head. Cognitive therapy can help people recognise the patterns of negative thoughts they tend to have, known as cognitive distortions, and help them turn those thoughts into more positive ones. This can help improve their overall emotional state.
2. Behavioural Therapy
Behavioural therapy involves changing behaviours that influence one's emotions. Through this therapy, people can learn to identify and modify their behaviour to increase their overall sense of well-being.
This can include engaging in pleasurable activities, creating a daily routine, and setting goals. By doing these activities, people can learn to reduce their depression symptoms and can eventually replace negative behaviours with more positive ones.
3. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
CBT is a combination of both cognitive therapy and behavioural therapy. It focuses on the thoughts and behaviours that can lead to depression and anxiety and works to address both of these areas to help people manage their mental health.
By understanding how negative thoughts and behaviours can affect a person's mood, CBT can help people to identify and change unhealthy patterns and learn more positive ways of thinking and behaving.
4. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Dialectical behaviour therapy is a form of cognitive-behavioural therapy which focuses on helping individuals recognise, accept and manage their negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It encourages people to develop skills to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others.
Through validation, individuals learn to accept their negative emotions and find better ways to handle them. It also encourages people to become mindful of their thoughts and feelings and to take responsibility for their actions.
5. Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy seeks to help individuals gain insight into the underlying causes of their depression. It is believed that this understanding can help the individual to recognise better and manage difficult feelings, thoughts, and behaviours. Through this process, individuals can learn to better cope with their emotions and gain greater control over their lives.
6. Interpersonal Therapy
Interpersonal conflict and poor social support can lead to feeling depressed. Interpersonal therapy is a kind of therapy that works on these issues by talking about past and present relationships and interactions. During the therapy, the therapist mostly chooses one or two areas of difficulty to concentrate on.
Conclusion
Depression is a serious mental health condition that requires treatment to achieve optimal health. Each of these therapies has its own unique approach to helping people manage their depressive symptoms and improve their overall quality of life. While the best therapy for an individual may vary, using any of these six therapies can significantly improve mood and quality of life for those struggling with depression.
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