Can depression be successfully treated?
Absolutely. When an individual receives competent care, depression is highly curable. Psychologists are qualified and highly trained mental health specialists who have years of experience researching depression and assisting people in recovering from it.
Seeking help for emotional and mental illnesses, especially depression, still carries some shame or hesitation. Unfortunately, depression is sometimes misinterpreted as a sign of weakness rather than as an indication that something is out of balance.
People who are depressed cannot simply “snap out of it” and feel better on their own. People suffering from depression who do not seek help suffer needlessly. Unexpressed sentiments and anxieties, combined with feelings of solitude, can exacerbate depression. The significance of receiving high-quality professional health care cannot be overstated.
How does psychotherapy aid in the recovery of people suffering from depression?
Psychotherapy techniques such as cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, psychodynamic, and other types of “talk therapy” can help depressed people recover. Psychotherapy allows patients to recognize the elements that contribute to their depression and deal with the psychological, behavioral, interpersonal, and situational causes successfully. Skilled therapists, such as certified psychologists, can work with depressed people to
• Identify the life issues that are contributing to their depression and help them realize which aspects of those issues they may be able to address or improve. A competent therapist can assist depressed patients in identifying future possibilities and setting realistic goals that will allow them to improve their mental and emotional well-being. Therapists can also assist clients in identifying how they have successfully dealt with similar symptoms in the past if they have been depressed.
• Recognize negative or distorted thought patterns that contribute to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness that accompany depression. For example, depressed individuals may tend to overgeneralize, that is, to conceive about things in terms of “always” or “never”. They might also take things personally. A skilled and knowledgeable therapist can assist in cultivating a more optimistic view of life.
• Investigate additional learned thoughts and behaviors that cause problems and lead to depression. Therapists, for example, might assist depressed individuals in understanding and improving patterns of interaction with other people that contribute to their depressio. We assist people in regaining control and enjoyment in their lives. Psychotherapy assists patients in seeing options and progressively reintroducing fun, rewarding activities into their lives.
Getting one bout of depression increases the likelihood of having another. There is some evidence that continued treatment may minimize the likelihood or intensity of future episodes. People can develop ways to avoid unnecessary suffering from future periods of depression through treatment.
