How to Treat Depression With Psychotherapy

Treating depression through prescription antidepressants only serves to mask and reduce the symptoms, rather than getting to the root causes of depression. Psychotherapy should be considered as a mandatory component of depression treatment, since it seeks to isolate and solve those causes. By finding the right fit with a mental-health professional, you can treat your depression with psychotherapy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Physician
• Mental-health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist

Treat Depression With Psychotherapy

1. Find the right mental-health professional to treat your depression with psychotherapy. Generally, the best way to locate such help is to obtain a referral from your current doctor. You can also check with local health clinics and medical centers for advice on how to choose the right therapist.
2. Determine whether you need the services of a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist to help you treat your depression. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe antidepressants or anti-anxiety medicine, along with therapies for quicker results. A psychologist will not be able to prescribe medications, but may be able to offer the same types of psychotherapy as the psychiatrist.
3. Complement your psychotherapy with other types of therapy in order to treat your depression more effectively. Developing an exercise regimen can help to raise the level of serotonin in your brain, naturally replicating the effects of many antidepressants. Light therapy, which involves being exposed to the full spectrum of light for at least 30 minutes every day, may also be useful in conjunction with psychotherapy.
4. Set reasonable time restrictions on the length of the psychotherapy used to treat your depression, since the objective of treating your depression is to reduce symptoms quickly before your condition becomes worse. Many therapists will use behavioral therapy, which treats the specific symptoms through behavioral modification, as a method to shorten the duration of the psychotherapy.
5. Attend a support group for people who suffer from depression. Not only will you be able to hear about the experiences and successes of others dealing with this condition, but you may also experience one of the best options for those who cannot afford lengthy psychotherapy sessions.

Tips & Warnings

• Individuals who call themselves psychotherapists may not be under the supervision of any state-certified board. Therefore, they are not required to have any specific education, training or certification. When looking for the right mental-health professional, you should look for a psychiatrist or licensed clinical psychologist.