Talking About Health And Medical Care

Therapy is a key treatment for depression. Most doctors prescribe anti-depressant medications, but those medications are really intended to balance your hormones and "take the edge off" so you can benefit and grow from therapy. But what if you've been in therapy for a little while and you don't really notice an improvement? This happens sometimes, largely because depression is a complex condition and everyone responds a bit differently. It does not mean you should simply quit going to therapy. Here are some better steps to take if you don't feel therapy, in its current form, is helping with your depression.

Consider seeing a different therapist.

It's always important to find a therapist who you feel can relate to you and who talks to you in a way that you feel is beneficial. If your current therapist isn't doing it for you, that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them or with you. They may simply not be the best fit. Make a visit with a different therapist, and have a brief session to discuss your depression and overall needs. You might even want to interview a couple of different therapists in this way. When you find the right one, you'll know it — and you'll be better able to move forward with depression treatment.

Ask your doctor about adjusting your anti-depressant dose.

The therapy you're participating in may not be the problem. It could be that your dose of anti-depressants is not strong enough to give you the relief you need for the therapy to "sink in." Talk to your doctor, and see if they recommend taking a little more medication, even if only for a while. Once you've increased your dose, have a couple more therapy sessions and see if therapy seems to be more beneficial.

Make sure you're doing your homework.

Therapy is not intended to be a treatment applied only when you're in the therapist's office. Your therapist should be working with you on strategies you can employ at home, between your sessions, to keep your depression at bay. Unfortunately, depression sometimes causes patients not to do their "therapy homework" as diligently as they should. If therapy does not seem to be working for you, pay closer attention to your homework. That should help.

Depression can be a long and challenging condition to battle, but therapy really does help. If therapy isn't working for you right now, some of the tips above can make it more effective. For more information on depression therapy, contact a professional near you.