Treatments for depression
If you are currently experiencing depression, there are several ways to treat it. What will work best for you depends on how severe your depression is, as well as the kind of person you are. Once you are feeling better, there are things you can do to help prevent depression from coming back again. One of these things is a meditation-based approach: Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy at Breathing Space.
Two main treatments for depression
If you think you might be depressed, you can talk to your GP. There are two main treatments your GP can offer you:
1. Antidepressant medication. Antidepressants work on chemical messengers in the brain to help lift your mood. They don't work for everyone, but they can alleviate the symptoms so you feel able to take additional action to help yourself. They take between two and four weeks to take effect. Your GP may suggest that you stay on them for up to six months, and then come off them slowly to avoid discontinuation symptoms. There can be some side effects, which your GP can tell you about.
2. Talking therapies. Talking to a trained professional about how you are feeling can help you understand why you are feeling depressed and what you can do to help yourself. There are several types of talking therapies that your GP could refer you to:
- Problem Solving Therapy can help you think about practical ways to solve problems that could be making you feel depressed
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help you look at and change negative thinking and feelings that could be causing depression
- Interpersonal Therapy can be useful if your depression seems to be linked to problems in getting on with other people, particularly in relationships with a partner
Treating mild, moderate and severe depression
If you go to see your GP about depression, they will assess how severe your depression is. Depression is usually put into three categories:
- Mild depression: If your GP thinks your depression is mild they may suggest some things you can try to lift your mood. Then they will probably suggest seeing how you are after two weeks.
- Moderate depression: If you don't seem to be getting better after two weeks, your GP may diagnose you with moderate depression. If so, they may suggest you try an antidepressant or a talking therapy.
- Severe depression: If you carry on feeling unwell for some months and do not respond well to antidepressants or talking therapies, your GP may diagnose you with severe depression. They may refer you to specialist mental health professionals - like a psychiatrist, psychologist or mental health nurse.
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy at Breathing Space
