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Choosing Better Medical Care

What A Depression Therapy Program May Involve

8 December 2020

Chris Burke

If you deal with regular feelings of sadness or hopelessness, you may be suffering from clinical depression. Fortunately, there are several available treatment options that can help people with depression resolve many of the issues that contribute to their suffering so that they can start living healthier, happier lives. When seeking treatment for depression, you will want to know what your depression therapy may involve so that you can make the best decisions about your care.

Psychological and Medical Evaluations

Before a mental health professional who offers depression therapy services starts you on a treatment plan, psychological and medical evaluations will be conducted to determine if you have clinical depression. These evaluations will involve discussing your concerns with a therapist and may also include filling out questionnaires so that the mental health professional can better pinpoint signs of clinical depression in you. If another mental health concern is causing your mental and emotional challenges, the appropriate treatment can be provided.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

If you are diagnosed with clinical depression, cognitive-behavioral therapy may be used as part of your treatment plan. As Medicinenet.com explains, this type of therapy works to change adverse thoughts and behavioral patterns that often contribute to chronic depression. The therapist may have you try certain exercises that are designed to reverse disordered thinking so that you can retrain your brain to focus on healthier thought patterns. You will be encouraged to adopt different behaviors to replace the current detrimental behaviors that you may be using to try to cope with your depression. The therapist may also have you perform exercises that expose you to negative thoughts and behaviors safely so that you can take proactive measures to challenge them and lessen their power over you.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Your depression may be largely the result of unresolved conflicts that arose earlier in life, and psychodynamic therapy can help uncover the subconscious thoughts that are standing in your way to optimal mental health. According to VeryWellMind.com, this type of depression therapy works to help you become more aware of your full range of emotions while bringing adverse subconscious thoughts to the surface so that they can be dealt with accordingly. Psychodynamic therapy is often effective in helping people become more self-aware and develop stronger emotional capacities for the long term. 

Medication

In certain cases, medication is prescribed to treat depression. Your mental health professional may recommend taking prescription medication if your depression is caused by chemical imbalances or other physiological factors. Many depression medications are formulated to increase serotonin production in the body to generate more feelings of happiness. According to Mayoclinic.org, some of the most commonly prescribed antidepressant medications include:

• Prozac
• Zoloft
• Remeron
• Pamelor
• Tofranil

Depression therapy can help you overcome your depression so that you can start living a better life. A qualified mental health professional who offers comprehensive depression therapy services can give you the tools that may allow you to move forward from your depression.

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