COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION
Are you troubled by low mood or depression? This section may help you decide if depression is a problem in your life. If so, we can help contact us on 0800 0614548 to discuss cognitive behavioural therapy treatment today.
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Depression has sometimes been called the ‘common cold of emotional health’ due to increasing numbers of people that will experience it at some point in their life. Currently it is estimated that around 6% of the population will experience an episode of depression in a given year.
This statistic is important as it highlights that depression is an episodic problem with most people that experience depression achieving wellness after the episode has passed, however some people may have more persistent symptoms.
Whilst is is normal for our moods to naturally fluctuate, people with depression may notice that their mood is persistently low and that they have other changes such as physical symptoms (for example changes in weight, libido, sleep and appetite) and psychological symptoms (such as a lack of enjoyment, suicidal thoughts, irritability, tearfulness and decreased motivation.) If these symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks or begin to affect your life then it is advisable to seek advice.
WHAT TREATMENTS ARE RECOMMENDED?
The best treatment will depend upon several factors including the level of depression you are experiencing, whether you have had depression in the past and how much is is currently affecting your life.
For mild depression it may be recommended to keep an eye on things and watch to see if your depression improves. In many cases studies have shown symptoms of mild depression to decrease by making changes as simple as a structured exercise regime and following good self help materials such as books and certain online programs.
For moderate depression and more severe depression it may be recommended that you consider a talking Therapy and perhaps medication. Often if you have not had an episode of depression in the past and are finding that simple lifestyle changes are not helping then a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy might be suggested to you. It has been shown that for this level of depression CBT is associated with good treatment outcomes and crucially a reduction in the chances of experiencing a further episode of depression in the future.
If you have had depression for sometime, or it is more severely affecting you then it might be advised that you receive a combination treatment of psychological therapy and medication. When used together the outcomes of a combined treatment can be much more effective at reducing symptoms than either on their own. You should be guided by your GP or consultant as to which type of antidepressant medication is likely to be most helpful to you.
HOW EFFECTIVE ARE TREATMENTS OFFERED BY DYNAMIC YOU?
We offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which is Recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a highly effective treatment for Depression. Our treatments are delivered by skilled health professionals with many years in practice – often in the NHS or in academic institutions.
As well as only delivering clinically recommended treatments, to the best of our knowledge we are the only independent psychological therapy provider to routinely collect, monitor and publish data on the effectiveness of therapy that our team offers. Why not take a look at how effective our treatments have been for clients so far?
FURTHER READING AND USEFUL RESOURCES:
The Mental Health Foundation – Are a respected UK charity that aim to research mental health problems such as depression and provide information to the public to develop a better understanding of these.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – Offer guidance to patients, Doctors and other Clinicians on what treatments are most recommended for a range of problems such as Depression. Here you can see why CBT is suggested for most people experiencing Depression symptoms.
