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Management and treatment of depression: How can depression be overcome with psychotherapy?

     While antidepressants will act more on the biological factors of depression, psychotherapy will act on the psychological aspects.

     The way psychotherapy works may differ depending on the psychological stream in which the practitioner is situated. Nevertheless, the same bases are found in all kinds of psychotherapy.

What are the basics of psychotherapy?

     Psychotherapy is one of the possible treatments for depression. There are different approaches to psychotherapy with different methods but with the same bases.

     First of all, psychotherapy is based on sympathetic listening, which takes the whole person with a sense of empathy and without any judgment. The psychotherapist is subject to professional secrecy.


     These basic foundations are necessary for all psychotherapeutic work since they allow the free expression of the person's experience and feelings without fear of being judged. 

     Thus, no subject is taboo. This reassuring framework allows the person to look at his or her suffering in-depth and finally to be able to see himself or herself in a different light, to approach the problem with new eyes, and to find new answers.

Two examples of psychotherapy

     There are various types of psychotherapies that use different theoretical bases and practical methods. Nevertheless, the objective remains the same, namely the reduction of depressive symptoms and the path to recovery. 

     The two best-known approaches are psychoanalytic psychotherapies and cognitive-behavioral therapies.

Psychotherapy to overcome depression

Psychoanalytic therapy:

     In this approach, the focus is on your current and past life and your feelings. Symptoms are relegated to the background. 

     This therapeutic method leads the person to glimpse a possible link between his or her history and depression. Better self-knowledge leads to greater self-acceptance and possible paths of evolution.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy:


     The primary goal of behavioral therapy is to suppress symptoms. Using different methods, the therapist will provide you with techniques to sleep better, manage stress, and act on the embarrassing symptoms of depression. 

     He will also be able to offer you role-playing situations in order to accompany you in your evolution.

Who are the professionals recognized to follow psychotherapy?

     Psychiatrists or psychologists are professionals recognized to conduct psychotherapy.

     Psychiatrists are doctors who have received four years of specialized training after medical school on various mental illnesses and their treatment.


     Psychologists have 5 years of university training in psychology and have a postgraduate degree (DESS, DEA, or MASTER). 

     Unlike psychiatrists, psychologists are not doctors. Therefore, they cannot prescribe treatment in parallel with psychotherapy.

What can be scary in psychotherapy?!

     Psychotherapy brings the person face to face with himself, his suffering, his emotions, and his experiences. It is true that everyone can be afraid to look too far into themselves and to encounter dark parts. 

     Thus, if certain moments of psychotherapy can be painful, this pain is not a vein because it is from it that you will rebuild yourself and understand yourself better. Moreover, you are not alone and the psychotherapist is there to make this possible.

     The other question is that of change. If we want certain things to change, and in this case, the depressive symptoms are diminishing, we can be afraid of the unknown because we have to leave habits without really knowing at the beginning where it will lead us. To change is to grow, to open up to new things!

     Why not take this risk to find peace, well-being, and self-acceptance in the end?

     Remember that you are not alone in this process of change. So, it is, of course, essential that you feel confident with the psychotherapist who accompanies you on this new path of life.

How effective are psychotherapies?

The effectiveness of psychotherapies is recognized by the medical world and confirmed by research. However, research on this subject does not show any significant difference between the use of different methods.


The person who wishes to engage in such an approach can, therefore, choose the type of therapy that suits him or her best a priori. And of course, it is essential that he or she feels in a relationship of trust with the therapist.

Antidepressants for the treatment and cure of moderate to severe depression

     The first antidepressants arrived in the 1950s. Since then,

research has made it possible to diversify them in order to better respond to the different types of depression and the specific symptoms of each patient.

     Not all depressions require antidepressant treatment. The decision is made by the doctor in consultation with the patient based on the symptoms identified and the degree of severity of the disorder.

How does an antidepressant work?

     Antidepressants are molecules that act at the level of the brain and more particularly on the communication between neurons. 

     Their action focuses on neurotransmitters or neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine) that promote neuronal communication and are lacking in depression.

     There are many different kinds of antidepressants that will act differently on neurotransmitters. 

     For example, some antidepressants will act more on serotonin, others on norepinephrine or dopamine, and others will have combined actions on several neurotransmitters.

The doctor adapts the treatment according to the patient's symptoms.

What are the side effects of antidepressants?

     Like any medication, antidepressants can have different side effects depending on their specifics and the patient.

These side effects may concern:

• alertness (drowsiness or excitement)
• the digestive system
• weight gain or loss
• lowering of blood pressure
• sexual functions

     It is important to note that adverse effects most often diminish over time.

     However, if the side effects are really bothersome, don't hesitate to talk to the doctor who prescribed the antidepressants. 

     He or she may be able to change the treatment to better suit your profile based on your reactions to the first one.

Remember that antidepressant treatment should not be stopped abruptly, otherwise, you may develop symptoms such as :

• Anxiety
• nightmares
• insomnia
• nausea
• fever
• aches and pain 

Are antidepressants effective in treating all types of depression?

     The effects of antidepressants are not immediate and it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks before you feel their beneficial effects.

     Beyond this temporal issue, the question is whether antidepressants are effective in treating depression. 

     The answer is controversial because different studies partly question the efficacy of antidepressants by taking into account the risk/benefit factor and comparing the effects of the antidepressant with those of a placebo.

     Some studies show that the efficacy of antidepressants is only proven in severe cases. 

     However, because depression is a complex disorder, it is difficult to study the effectiveness of antidepressant treatments in general.

     Currently, the recommendations of the French National Agency for Health Accreditation and Evaluation (ANAES) recommend the use of antidepressants for depression of moderate and severe intensity.

     Your doctor remains your first point of contact to study the question of this effectiveness according to your own problems.