Many
forms of psychotherapy, including some short-term (10-20 week)
therapies, can help depressed individuals. "Talking"
therapies help patients gain insight into and resolve their
problems through verbal exchange with the therapist, sometimes
combined with "homework" assignments between sessions.
"Behavioral" therapists help patients learn how to
obtain more satisfaction and rewards through their own actions
and how to unlearn the behavioral patterns that contribute to
or result from their depression.
Two of the short-term psychotherapies that research has shown
helpful for some forms of depression are interpersonal and cognitive/behavioral
therapies. Interpersonal therapists focus on the patient's disturbed
personal relationships that both cause and exacerbate (or increase)
the depression. Cognitive/behavioral therapists help patients
change the negative styles of thinking and behaving often associated
with depression.
Psychodynamic therapies, which are sometimes used to treat depressed
persons, focus on resolving the patient's conflicted feelings.
These therapies are often reserved until the depressive symptoms
are significantly improved. In general, severe depressive illnesses,
particularly those that are recurrent, will require medication
(or ECT under special conditions) along with, or preceding,
psychotherapy for the best outcome. |
