Do I still need therapy if I am already taking medication?
Although
therapy may be adequate alone for mild cases of depression, it is most
optimal to be in therapy when taking medication. Studies have shown that
therapy and medication together have the best efficacy. Although
medication can treat your depression independently of therapy, it will
not change environmental circumstances, will not change your coping
skills, and will not change your personality or improve your self-esteem.
Keeping in mind that depression is typically caused by a culmination of
biological, psychological, and social factors, it makes good sense that
addressing the psychological and social underpinnings of your depressive
episode is warranted. Although you cannot change your "biology" or genes,
you can use therapy to change other contributors to depression. Ideally,
the risk then of future episodes can be reduced, as medication is
generally not considered a life-long solution for managing depression,
except in cases of more severe or chronic illness. Once in remission, an
attempt to remove the medication is typically made. This is apt to be
more successful when therapy has been or currently is in place.
