Therapy & Treatment for Depression

The symptoms of depression can be varied, but involve negative feelings, thinking patterns, physical symptoms and behaviours.

Negative feelings:  

Experiencing a depressed mood is one of the primary symptoms of major depression and is often accompanied by a constellation of the following negative feelings: 

• Misery 
• Despair 
• Guilt 
• Insecurity 
• Worthlessness 
• Disappointment 
• Overwhelmed  
• Irritable
• Indecisive

Unhelpful negative thoughts: 

Experiencing depression tends to create negative thinking patterns that perpetuate more negative feelings and behaviours also accompany depression. These unhelpful thoughts may sound something like: 

• ‘Life is pointless’  
• ‘People would be better off without me’  
• ‘I’m a failure’ 
• ‘It’s all my fault’ 
• ‘I’m not good enough’

Unhelpful behaviours: 

When you are suffering from depression you tend to behave in ways that keep you trapped in a low mood and a negative head space. Some of these unhelpful behaviours include:  

• Withdrawing from friends and family  
• Staying at home more than often 
• Not completing important tasks 
• Not engaging in activities that you used to find enjoyable 
• Relying on the sedative effect of drugs or alcohol  

Physical symptoms: 

The physical symptoms of depression can vary between individuals but often include a number of the following: 

• Fatigue or feeling more tired than usual 
• A significant increase or decrease in sleep 
• A significant increase or decrease in appetite 
• Reduced sexual interest 
• Difficulty concentrating 
• Reduced memory and attention 
• Significant weight gain or loss
• Reduced motivation

Depression is often caused by a constellation of factors. However, a prominent theory suggests that all people have varied levels of vulnerability to depression which is exacerbated by stressful life events. These stressful events can be anything from a painful breakup to the loss of a loved one or more long term stressors such as unemployment, poverty, social isolation, or domestic violence. However, it is also possible to experience a depressive episode in the absence of an obvious event or trigger.

Your predisposition or ‘vulnerability’ to depression is determined by your family history, genetics, personality, physical health and use of drugs and alcohol.  

There are number of evidence-based psychological and medical interventions for depression as well several complimentary lifestyle changes that have been found effective at reducing depressive symptoms and/or maintaining an improved mood state in recovery. 

Psychological treatments for depression 

According to the most recent Australian Psychological Society evidence-based interventions literature review, there are seven Level 1 psychological treatments for major depression including in-person and online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Interpersonal therapy (IPT) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). 

Each therapy has a different approach, but ll are based on the idea that how we think and behave directly influence how we feel (this is not quite right, as IPT is based more on the impact of our interpersonal relationships and connectedness). These therapies challenge the ‘truth’ of our thoughts, form less reactive cognitive patterns, create new habits, strengthen our relationships and ultimately alter our mood state. (again, Mindfulness-based therapy would not be about challenging at all but accepting) – Maybe, These therapies encourage us to become more aware of the challenges facing us and make helpful changes in how we think and behave and strengthen our connections and relationships to assist in improving our mental state and mood.

CBT is the most well-known and most-practiced therapy for depression and has been found to be similarly effective when delivered in person or online. The effectiveness of psychotherapy is determined by the commitment of the client – delving into your negative thought patterns and scheduling new behaviours can be hard, emotional work, but it is work worth doing.  

Medical treatments for depression 

If you are suffering from moderate to severe depression, your GP or psychiatrist may prescribe medical interventions, usually in addition to psychotherapy. Antidepressants are the most widely prescribed drugs for depression with a strong body of evidence in treating moderate to severe depression in adults. Antidepressants act on chemicals within your brain increasing the availability of neurotransmitters that are related to positive mood and motivation. Like any medication, antidepressants have side effects, and the effectiveness will vary from person to person. For severe treatment-resistant depression, electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have been found effective in the short term after treatment. 

Complimentary lifestyle changes for depression treatment 

There is evidence for several low-impact lifestyle changes and complementary therapies that can contribute to the effectiveness of your psychological treatment of depression. These include exercise, relaxation training, yoga, peer-support interventions (speaking either one-on-one or in a group with peers who have recovered from depression), light therapy (particularly for seasonal affective disorder, but also for non-seasonal depression), bibliotherapy (reading books that help you practice psychotherapy by yourself), and a variety of herbs.

If you have been struggling with depressive symptoms, know that help is out there. Talk to your GP about how you have been feeling and discuss your options. If you are eligible for a mental health care plan you can access up to 20 reduced cost sessions per year with My Mirror psychologists, otherwise private fee sessions are accessible. Find out more about how to access fast, effective professional help with My Mirror.