What are the different types of treatment for depression?
The types of
treatment for depression fall into two broad categories: psychosocial and
pharmacological. Within each category are many choices. Psychosocial
treatments include individual therapies, group therapies, vocational
services, family/couples therapies, as well as others. Furthermore, there
are different types of individual therapies, such as supportive, insight
oriented, or cognitive - behavioral. There are also various levels of
treatment settings, ranging from private practice settings, outpatient
clinic settings, day treatment or partial hospital programs, and
inpatient treatment.
Pharmacologic Treatment
Pharmacologic
treatment involves the use of medications from various groups, such as
antidepressants, anticonvulsants, anti-psychotics, or anxiolytics.
Psychotropics are those medicines that are primarily used in psychiatric
care for the treatment of mental disorders, including depression.
However, there is often a crossover use of medicines from other medical
specialties, such as from neurology, wherein anti-seizure medications
(anticonvulsants) are frequently found to have efficacy in the treatment
of many psychiatric conditions.
As part of an evaluation, your clinician will consider the most
appropriate treatment plan for your depression. For a mild depression,
psychotherapy alone may be recommended first. For more severe
depressions, both medication and therapy may be recommended. If already
in psychotherapy, your therapist may refer you to a psychiatrist for a
medication evaluation if there are concerns about the level of response,
the severity of symptoms, or confounding co-morbid conditions. The type
of therapy chosen can depend on many factors such as cost, duration, or
patient fit. Frequency of psychotherapy typically starts at once per week
but may be more or less often depending on your individual needs or
therapy type.
As part of the treatment plan, the treatment setting also needs to be
determined. Most individuals can be treated in private office settings or
outpatient clinic settings. Sometimes, a higher level of structure is
needed in which more services can be provided, on a daily basis, such as
in a day treatment program. If impairments are severe or if safety is in
question, hospitalization may be warranted. Within the hospital, several
modalities of treatment are provided on a daily basis, making the
treatment more intense.
