Depression Therapy

by Alessio Faggioli - MA, BS(H), BA

Although everyone has felt grief, not everyone has felt depression. If you’ve never been depressed, you probably have no idea what it’s like to live with this complicated mental condition.

Depression is subtle. It influences your mood, and your ability to think, feel, and function. It dulls pleasure experiences, cuts off connections, stifles creativity, and, at worst, shuts hope. It also frequently causes profound emotional distress for the individual suffering it and that person’s close relatives and friends. Is there a possible solution? Yes, it is called depression therapy!

What is depression?

Major depressive disorder, usually known as depression, is a common but dangerous mood illness. It produces significant signs that make it challenging to perform daily activities, including eating, sleeping, and working.

People who suffer from depression frequently face declines in their self-worth, life quality, and self-management skills. Grief and depression are very different, and one cannot easily overcome or shrug them off. Before a depression diagnosis can be made, the symptoms must persist for at least two months.

Depression Signs and Symptoms

The feeling of being depressed differs from person to person, but some typical signs and symptoms are quite common based on my professional experience as a psychotherapist and psychologist. It’s vital to realize that these symptoms might be a natural part of life. The more signs you have, the more intense they are, and the greater they last, the more likely you are depressed.

Depression symptoms include:

• Sleeping patterns shift;
• Angry or irritable;
• Energy depletion;
• Self-loathing;
• Unsafe behaviours;
• Lack of concentration;
• Aches and pains that go unnoticed.

Risk Factors of Depression

When I receive queries like:

• What are the depression risk factors?
• What factors contribute to depression?

As a psychologist and psychotherapist, I can say that there is no single cause of depression. Instead, numerous factors can increase a person’s risk of developing it. Women, for example, are more prone than men to suffer from depression, which researchers thought is due to hormonal factors.

Nutritional Deficiency

A poor diet may contribute to depression in a variety of ways. For example, various nutrient and vitamin deficiencies have been associated with depression symptoms. Additionally, depression has also been linked to high-sugar diets.

Depression Causes Due to Lifestyle

A range of lifestyle factors may also play a role in depression. While many factors associated with depression, such as gender or family history, are uncontrollable, people significantly influence lifestyle factors significantly.

Genetics and Family History

A family depression history may raise your chances of having it. If individuals in your family have depression or other mood disorders, you are more likely to suffer depressive symptoms. According to estimates, genetics account for around 40% of depression.

Stress

In many cases, when I work with a person that comes to therapy because of depression, they report having a stressful life (work and/or family related). Life circumstances that are stressful and exceed an individual’s capacity to cope can also be a source of depression. For example, researchers believe that excessive stress hormone cortisol may disrupt the brain chemicals and contribute to sadness.

Loss and Bereavement

People grieving show many of the same symptoms of depression as those that are depressed. In addition, the loss is often accompanied by problems sleeping, decreased eating, and a lack of enthusiasm or activity interest.

Depression Therapy and Treatment

• How does psychotherapy aid in the treatment of depression therapy?
• What are the many sorts of therapy?
• What are the various approaches to therapy?

Most therapeutic modalities focus on developing a trusting bond between the client and the therapist by providing a safe and non-judgmental space.

Psychotherapy helps people with depression to:

• Recognize the behaviours, feelings, and thoughts underlying their depression;
• Recognize the factors in their lives—such as a severe illness, the loss of a loved one, a job, or a divorce—that contribute to their depression, and help them discover the parts of those difficulties they might be able to address or change;
• Take back control of your life and find satisfaction;
• Develop a mindful attitude and learn how to become an observer;
• Learn coping strategies and problem-solving methods.

There are several therapy modalities, such as:

• Individual therapy (it includes depression therapy);
• Group therapy;
• Marital/couples therapy;
• Family therapy.

I can offer treatment in various ways, much as psychotherapy can be provided in multiple formats, involving couples, groups, and individual sessions. I will choose which approach to apply based on the fundamental issues most likely triggering the depression after discussing the patient’s depression episodes with them.

Psychodynamic therapy

A form of talk therapy is psychodynamic therapy. It is built on talking about issues with a specialist who might be able to help the client to discover deep insights with the aim of bringing some relief in their life.

People who work with psychotherapists can better comprehend the thoughts, emotions, and challenges that influence their life and attitude. This therapeutic approach also helps patients understand the underlying factors that affect their thoughts, feelings, and behaviour.

Counselling

A rapid, empirically established therapy for depressive disorders is interpersonal psychotherapy. Its main goal is to assist clients in lessening their suffering by improving the calibre of their social relationships and social functioning. Interpersonal counselling offers remedies for issues in four significant areas.

Starting with interpersonal flaws like being socially isolated or being in unsatisfactory relationships, it addresses these issues.

Second, if the onset of pain is linked to losing a beloved one, either lately or in the past, it can help people deal with unresolved grief.

Thirdly, it can help with challenging life transitions like relocating to a new place, divorce, or retirement.

Fourth, it is suggested to resolve interpersonal conflicts caused by divergent expectations among coworkers, close friends, family, or lovers.

Conclusion

Depression can severely impede a person’s capacity to operate in daily life. However, the chances of recovery for depressed people who seek professional help are relatively good. Depressed people can regain control of their lives by working with a qualified and experienced therapist.

Depression Therapy helps best when you keep all of your regular appointments. The success of treatment is dependent on your active engagement. It involves time, effort, and consistency.

Set some aims with your therapist when you begin therapy. Then, check your performance with your therapist regularly. If you don’t agree with your therapist’s method or don’t trust they are assisting you, talk to them regarding it and seek independent advice if both of you agree, but wait to leave therapy abruptly.

What to expect during a therapeutic session

The first session of therapy often focuses on gathering information about physical, mental, and emotional health. This helps me to attune to the client’s needs. It can take a few sessions to have a good understanding of the client’s situation, before making a therapeutic plan. The first session can help the client to understand and decide if my style is a good fit for his/her needs, and to talk about the type of therapy used, treatment goals, ethics, confidentiality, and how many sessions are needed.

Sessions may stir up intense emotions. It is possible to become upset, angry, or sad during treatment. Despite this all may sound challenging, in order to get an understanding of what we hold inside, we have to help it to emerge into our consciousness/awareness. My role as a therapist is to help you to build your confidence, and become more comfortable and attuned with yourself, as sessions progress.

How long does individual therapy last

Individual therapy sessions usually last 60 minutes. The length of the therapeutic plan and how often sessions occur depend on:

• The client’s mental health condition and its severity,
• How long has the client been dealing with the issue/s,
• What is the issue’s impact on the client’s life,
• How quickly the person in therapy improves,
• Financial limitations.

Some concerns can be addressed through short-term therapy, usually over 6-12 weeks. However, chronic and more complex traumas can require long-term treatment and sometimes even years.

Psychotherapist, Psychologist in Prague

As a registered Psychotherapist and Psychologist based in Prague with over 9 years of experience in clinical mental health, substance use, trauma, and counseling, I have developed a diverse skill set to support my clients.

My approach is integrative, drawing on techniques and theories such as Transpersonal psychology, Person-Centered, Jungian, Gestalt, Existential, Transactional Analysis, Attachment theory, Complex Trauma, Somatic approach, Character styles, Internal Family System, Mentalization, Meditation, and Mindfulness. I am a member of the Irish Association of Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP) and the Czech Psychotherapist Association (CZAP), adhering to their code of ethics.

If you’re interested in starting therapy with me, the first step is to schedule a free initial consultation call or send me an email.