Treatments for Depression

There is no one proven way that people recover from depression. However, there is a range of effective treatments and health professionals who can help people on the road to recovery. 


There are also many things that people with depression can do for themselves to help them recover and stay well. The important thing is finding the right treatment and the right health professional for the individual's needs.


Psychological treatments for depression
Medical treatments for depression
Other sources of support


Psychological treatments for depression:

Psychological treatments (also known as talking therapies) help people with depression to change negative patterns of thinking and improve their coping skills so they are better equipped to deal with life's stresses and conflicts. Psychological therapies may not only help a person to recover, but can also help to prevent the depression from reoccurring.


There are several types of psychological treatments shown to be effective in the treatment of depression:

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)

CBT is a structured psychological treatment which recognises that a person's way of thinking (cognition) and acting (behaviour) affects the way they feel. CBT is one of the most effective treatments for depression, and has been found to be useful for a wide range of people, including children, adolescents, adults and older people.

In CBT, a person works with a professional (therapist) to identify the patterns of thought and behaviour that are either making them more likely to become depressed, or stopping them from improving once they become depressed.

CBT has an emphasis on changing thoughts and behaviour by teaching people to think rationally about common difficulties, helping them to shift their negative or unhelpful thought patterns and reactions to a more realistic, positive and problem-solving approach.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT)

IPT is a structured psychological therapy that focuses on problems in personal relationships and the skills required to deal with these problems. IPT is based on the idea that relationship problems can have a significant impact on a person experiencing depression, and can even contribute to the cause.

IPT is thought to work by helping people to recognise patterns in their relationships that make them more vulnerable to depression. Identifying these patterns means they can focus on improving relationships, coping with grief and finding new ways to get along with others.

Behaviour therapy

Behaviour therapy is a major component of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), but behaviour therapy focuses exclusively on increasing a person's level of activity and pleasure in their life. Unlike CBT, it does not focus on changing the person's beliefs and attitudes. Instead it focuses on encouraging people to undertake activities that are rewarding, pleasant or give a sense of satisfaction, in an effort to reverse the patterns of avoidance, withdrawal and inactivity that make depression worse.

Mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT)

MBCT is generally delivered in groups and involves learning a type of meditation called 'mindfulness meditation'. This meditation teaches people to focus on the very present moment, just noticing whatever they are experiencing, be it pleasant or unpleasant, without trying to change it. At first, this approach is used to focus on physical sensations (like breathing), but later it is used to focus on feelings and thoughts.

MBCT helps people to stop their mind wandering off into thoughts about the future or the past, or trying to avoid unpleasant thoughts and feelings. This is thought to be helpful in preventing depression from returning because it allows people to notice feelings of sadness and negative thinking patterns early on, before they have become fixed. It therefore helps the person to deal with these early warning signs better.

Medical treatments for depression:

medical treatment for depression is antidepressant medication. There is a lot of misinformation about antidepressant medication and while there is no simple explanation  as to how it works, it can be very useful in the treatment of moderate to severe depression (and some anxiety disorders).

Antidepressant medication may be prescribed, along with psychological treatments, when a person experiences a moderate to severe episode of depression. Sometimes, antidepressants are prescribed when other treatments have not been successful or when psychological treatments are not possible due to the severity of the illness or a lack of access to the treatment.


Which antidepressant should be used?

Making a decision about which antidepressant is best for a person can be complex. The decision is made in consultation with a doctor, after careful assessment and consideration. People can help the doctor's assessment by providing as much information as possible about themselves and their medical history. Important factors include the person's age, symptoms, other medications and, if female, whether they are pregnant or breastfeeding.

There are many different types of antidepressant medication which have been shown to work, but their effectiveness differs from person to person. Antidepressants take at least two weeks before they start to help, and it may also take some time for the doctor to find the most suitable medication and dosage.

What are the side effects?

Antidepressants can make people feel better, but they won't change their personality or make them feel happy all the time. Like taking any other medication, some people will experience some side effects. Common side effects, depending on which medication is taken, include nausea, headaches, anxiety, sweating, dizziness, agitation, weight gain, dry mouth and sexual difficulties (e.g. difficulty becoming/staying aroused).

Some of these symptoms can be short-lived, but people who experience any of these symptoms should tell their doctor, as there are ways of minimising them. The likelihood of a particular side effect happening varies between individuals and medications.

Other sources of support:

Depression and anxiety can go on for months, even years, if left untreated, and can have many negative effects on a person's life.


Whatever treatments are used, they are best done under the supervision of a GP or mental health professional. If you have taken the first step and enlisted the help of your GP or another health professional, there are additional things you might like to try to get your recovery underway.


Family and friends


Family members and friends play an important role in a person's recovery. They can offer support, understanding and help. People with depression and anxiety often don't feel like socialising, but spending time alone can make a person feel cut off from the world, which makes it harder to recover. That's why it's important for them to take part in activities with family members and close friends, and to accept social invitations, even though it's the last thing they may want to do. Staying connected with people helps increase levels of wellbeing, confidence and the chance to participate in physical activities.

Exercise

A number of studies have found that exercise is a good way to help prevent or manage mild to moderate depression and anxiety. Research shows that keeping active can help lift mood, improve sleep, increase energy levels, help block negative thoughts and/or distract people from daily worries, increase opportunities to socialise, and generally increase wellbeing. Exercise may also change levels of chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, endorphins and stress hormones.

Diet

Food can play a vital role in maintaining mental health as well as physical health. In general, eating a nourishing diet gives people an overall sense of wellbeing. There are also some specific nutritional strategies that can help improve mood, maintain healthy brain functioning and help people with depression and anxiety.


 Relaxation training

Relaxation training is used as a treatment for anxiety. Because anxiety can lead to depression, it may reduce depression as well. People with anxiety are thought to have tense muscles. As relaxation training helps to relax muscles, it may also help to reduce anxious thoughts and behaviours. Relaxation training may also help people feel as if they have more control of their anxiety.

E-therapies

E-therapies, also known as online therapies or computer-aided psychological therapy, can be just as effective as face-to-face services for people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression.

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and behaviour therapy are helpful for anxiety and depression when delivered by a professional. The structured nature of these treatments means they are also well suited to being delivered electronically.