The 6 keys to understanding the psychological treatment of depression.

The main aspects that help to understand the treatment of depression in therapy.

Problems related to depression are one of the most common reasons for consultation that psychologists encounter in their day-to-day work with patients.

This type of mood disorder is one of the most widespread psychopathologies among the population of western countries.It is estimated that between 4 and 7% of the adult population has developed this disorder at some time, and to this we must add the fact that it can also occur among minors.

However, although depression is not exactly a rare phenomenon if we stick to its presence among human beings, the truth is that most people do not know or understand too well the most basic aspects of this disorder, nor how it is treated. It is common to assume that it is a disease in which it is necessary to intervene by taking pills, psychotropic drugs, but this is not true.

For that reason, here we will see a summary of what the psychological treatment of depression consists of.which is beyond the world of medicine but it is also very effective.

The 6 main characteristics of psychotherapy applied to depression.

What is the goal of psychological intervention in depressed patients? What kind of activities are carried out throughout the therapeutic process? In what way is improvement taking place? To answer these and other questions, here we will see what are the fundamental aspects that define the psychological treatment of depression.

1. The goal is not to "block" sadness.

The goal that psychologists agree with patients does not have to do with eliminating sadness, for two reasons.

The first is that it's not even true that all people with depression feel sad, exactlySome describe what they feel in other terms, such as hopelessness, low zest for life, and general low mood, which is not exactly the same as being sad and has more to do with not finding reasons to look forward to the experiences of everyday life.

The second is that it is impossible to totally annul sadness, as well as any other emotion.. The solution to the problem faced by someone with depression is not to eliminate part of their emotional repertoire, but to ensure that it is not unbalanced towards feelings linked to lack of motivation, pessimism, melancholy, affliction, etc. Rather than subtracting sadness and other emotions that are popularly considered "negative", we try to facilitate the appearance of those that are not.

2. The process lasts months

You probably already suspected it, but the main objective set in the first stage of psychological care for depressed patients is never short-term. It is important that the process will last for several months, given that otherwise a level of frustration will emerge that can cause the treatment to be interrupted, which is totally counterproductive.which is totally counterproductive.

Moreover, it makes sense that it takes several weeks to notice the first results; after all, depression is a disorder expressed in almost all areas of the life of the person who develops it, and each of these emotionally painful situations acts as a kind of anchor that makes it difficult to feel good.

The key is to build up momentum, so to speak, and to let go of those harmful experiences that keep depression alive.. This, which occurs through the cumulative effect of small behavioral changes on a daily basis, does not happen overnight.

Not everything is based on introspection.

Many people come to consultation believing that their depression can only be solved through introspection, that is, through mental activity.

The truth is that although psychological processes are very relevant in this sense, we must not forget that what crosses our minds is totally linked to our way of thinking. is totally linked to our way of relating to what is beyond ourselves: our friends, our work, our family, our friends, our friends, our friends, our work, our work, our work, our work, our work, our work.our friends, our work, our projects, and so on.

These factors are considered of utmost relevance in any therapy process applied to depression. Which brings us to the next point.

4. There are tasks to be done between sessions

The psychotherapeutic process continues to occur after the session with the psychologist has ended.. There are always guidelines to follow throughout the day, and that have to do with improving self-knowledge and applying strategies that help to get rid of the actions that reproduce and reinforce the symptoms of depression without realizing it.

5. It is important not to skip sessions

While in therapy, maintaining the frequency of sessions with the psychologist is crucial, and not doing so can spoil the progress made so far.

Fortunately, nowadays there are possibilities that make it easier to achieve this.The online therapy by video call allows you to count on the support of the psychologist even when you are in another country, and there are many mental health professionals who offer this type of service.

6. Associated psychological problems must also be treated

Depression is a mood disturbance that often appears at the same time as other psychopathologies. For example, it is relatively common for people who also have anxiety disorders or addictions (chemical or non-chemical) to develop depression. (chemical or non-chemical). In these cases, it does not make sense to treat depression alone, since one psychopathology reinforces the other.

Are you looking for psychotherapeutic support?

In case you are looking for psychological help to treat low mood problems or directly clinical depression, please contact us. At Psychological Center Cepsim we have more than 20 years of experience in the attention to patients, and we attend both in our offices located in Madrid, as well as through online therapy. On this page you will find our contact details.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association (2006). American Psychiatric Association Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: Compendium 2006. American Psychiatric Pub.
• Kessler, R.C., Nelson, C.B., McGonagle, K.A., Liu, J., Swartz, M., Blazer, D.G. (1996). Comorbidity of DSM-III-R major depressive disorder in the general population: results from the US National Comorbidity Survey. The British Journal of Psychiatry. Supplement. 168 (30): 17 - 30.
• McCullough, J.P. (2003). Treatment for Chronic Depression: Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psycotherapy (CBASP). Guilford Press. ISBN 1-57230-965-2.
• Muñoz, R.F.; Beardslee, W.R.; Leykin, Y. (2012). Major depression can be prevented. The American Psychologist. 67 (4): pp. 285 - 295.
• Schmidtke, A., Bille-Brahe, U., DeLeo, D. y cols. (1996). Attempted suicide in Europe: Rates, trends and sociodemographic characteristics of suicide attempters during the period 1989-1992. Results of the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Parasuicide. Acta Psychiatr Scand, 93:327-338.