Psychotherapy for Treating Major Depression

Major depression is a mental illness that can impair functioning in many life domains, including school, work, and social and family life. Treatment options, including psychotherapy, are available for treating major depression.

Prevalence

• Approximately 5 to 8 percent of adults in the United States suffer from major depression each year, and it is the leading cause of disability.

Features

• Symptoms of major depression include depressed mood, irritability, sleep and appetite disturbances, poor concentration, lack of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, recurrent thoughts of suicide and physical symptoms, including chronic pain, headaches and gastrointestinal disturbances. Psychotherapy can be used to instruct individuals on how to cope with many of these symptoms.

Types

• Numerous types of psychotherapy exist for treating major depression, including interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychoanalytically oriented therapy. Other types of therapy, including family therapy and substance abuse counseling, are also available to treat other issues that are associated with major depression.

Function

• The function of psychotherapy is to teach individuals how to cope with symptoms of depression, improve sense of well being and modify behaviors in order to improve mental health.

Other treatment

• Other treatment options are available that may be used in conjunction with psychotherapy, including medications and self-help guides. Electroconvulsive therapy may be used in cases where depressive symptoms do not respond to psychotherapy, medications and other treatment options.