Depression, also known as clinical depression, is the most common form of mental disorder. This mental disorder is a progressive disease that affects the way the sufferer sees and thinks about the world around him or her. The person suffering from depression is typically depressed over things such as loss of a loved one, death of a family member, or an accident that someone in the family has suffered.
There are two kinds of depression: Major and Special Conditions. A major depression is treated with psychotherapy. A Special Condition is not considered to be a disorder but rather a normal reaction to certain traumatic events.
There are many causes of major depression. When a person experiences a death, divorce, or illness, depression may result.
The good news is that these emotions will generally go away. Medications, therapy, and other treatment methods can all help the depressed person regains his or her feeling and return to a normal life. However, if the person suffering from depression is an adolescent, teen, or young adult, medications and therapy may not be enough to control the disorder.
Psychotherapy or counseling, together with multiple therapies and programs, is the most effective means of treatment for a person suffering from depression. Counseling is needed when the patient refuses to accept the reality of his or her condition and believes that he or she is somehow abnormal. Psychological tests and research will determine the cause of the condition. This information will be important in determining which type of therapy will work best on a particular patient.
Psychotherapy or counseling will teach the patient to identify thoughts and behaviors that trigger feelings of depression. These are things like negative comments from others, fear of losing things, or a high rate of rejection from peers or society in general.
The patient will be taught how to replace these with positive thoughts and to replace negative feelings with more positive ones. They will learn strategies for dealing with rejection and the use of self-talk will be emphasized. Positive thinking skills and coping strategies can help the depressed person through his or her life with depression.
Therapy also includes education, treatment, or support to reduce or eliminate the need for drugs or alcohol, regular exercise, or other forms of “medication” for the depressed person. Often these other forms of treatment are only required temporarily.
The treatment method used for depression depends on several factors. The individual’s age, level of functioning, the causes of the condition, the location of the depression, etc.
Type of depression will be determined by a medical exam, which may involve a diagnosis of one or more of the following: dysthymia, cyclothymia, septo-hysteria, agoraphobia, postpartum depression, or adolescent-onset depression. The various types of depression will be classified into specific groups, such as Bipolar Disorder (manic depression), Dysthymia, Cyclothymia, Septo-Hysteria, Agoraphobia, or Acute Stress Disorder. There are many other types of depression that may be associated with a specific cause.
Sometimes the treatments needed for depression will depend on the type of depression. There is no one treatment method that will treat all types of depression.
