Non-drug therapy
The clinical picture of depression can be divided into mild, moderate and severe episodes. A mild depressive episode usually does not require any drug therapy. In this case, supportive conversations and, if necessary, further procedures such as light therapy are sufficient.
A mild depressive episode can, in certain cases, disappear again without much help from outside. However, it should still be taken seriously. As a rule, moderate and severe depression should always be treated with medication.
Psychotherapy should also be provided. Especially for moderate and severe depressions, therapy with so-called antidepressants is strongly recommended. According to the current state of knowledge, drug therapy is the treatment of first choice for the clinical picture of depression.
In recent years, psychotherapy has become increasingly important in the treatment of depression. In particular, the so-called “cognitive behavioral therapy” offers a high probability of long-term improvement in this context. Cognitive behavioral therapy, is the therapy that works with both the thoughts and behavior of the depressed person.
On the one hand, the patient is motivated to participate more actively in life again. For example, detailed daily schedules are developed in which it is ensured that the patient plans pleasant activities in sufficient measure in addition to his duties. The limited resilience of the patient is taken into account and the patient is motivated to resume activities that he or she has enjoyed in the past.
Experience has shown that an increase in activity already leads to a significant improvement in the mood of many people suffering from depression. Depression (among many other disorders as well) is usually characterized by a massively distorted “negative thinking. This “negative thinking”, which is based on deep convictions, is questioned in therapy with the therapist and its reality is checked.
In this way, the patient can succeed in developing a more realistic and thus less negative view of himself, his situation and his future. Once the patient has overcome the depression, it must be part of the therapy to provide the patient with rules of conduct that enable him or her to act early and independently when the depression returns or in difficult life situations. The basic idea of depth psychological – psychoanalytic psychotherapy is mainly the clarification and resolution of conflicts.
In theory, these conflicts can be explained by the early development of a self-centred (narcissistic) need. These conflicts, which originated in childhood, are often not clear to the adult depressive. On the part of the therapist it is now tried to work on these conflicts and if necessary to let the patient experience his anger or aggression. The severity of the depression is the most important factor.In severe episodes, the therapy should be supportive rather than revealing.
