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• Depression
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The most studied form of psychotherapy for depression is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), thought to work by teaching clients to learn a set of useful cognitive and behavioral skills. Earlier research suggested that CBT was not as effective as antidepressant medication; however, research beginning in the mid-1990s suggested that CBT could perform as well or better than antidepressants in patients with moderate to severe depression.

CBT may be effective in depressed adolescents, although its effects on severe episodes might not be definitively known. Several variables predict success for cognitive behavior therapy in adolescents: higher levels of rational thoughts, less hopelessness, fewer negative thoughts, and fewer cognitive distortions.

Several variants of cognitive behavior therapy have been used in depressed patients, most notably rational emotive behavior therapy, and more recently mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.

Interpersonal psychotherapy focuses on the social and interpersonal triggers that may cause depression. The therapy takes a structured course with a set number of weekly sessions (often 12) that focus on relationships with others. Therapy can be used to foster interpersonal skills that allow people to communicate more effectively and to reduce stress.

 

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Anxiety and Depression

What to Do When You Have Both

Most people feel anxious or depressed at times. Losing a loved one, getting fired from a job, going through a divorce, and other difficult situations can lead a person to feel sad, lonely, scared, nervous, or anxious. These feelings are normal reactions to life's stressors. But some people experience these feelings daily or nearly daily for no apparent reason, making it difficult to carry on with normal, everyday functioning. These people may have an anxiety disorder, depression, or both.

It is not uncommon for someone with an anxiety disorder to also suffer from depression or vice versa. Nearly one-half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. The good news is that these disorders are both treatable, separately and together.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are a unique group of illnesses marked by persistent, irrational, and uncontrollable anxiety. These disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias.

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illnesses affecting children and adults. They may develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.

These are the kinds of anxiety disorders that I treat:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive, unrealistic worry that lasts six months or more; in adults, the anxiety may focus on issues such as health, money, or career. In addition to chronic worry, GAD symptoms include trembling, muscular aches, insomnia, abdominal upsets, dizziness, and irritability.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). People suffering from OCD are plagued by persistent, recurring thoughts (obsessions) that reflect exaggerated anxiety or fears; typical obsessions include worry about being contaminated or fears of behaving improperly or acting violently. The obsessions may lead to performing a ritual or routine (compulsions), such as washing hands, repeating phrases, or hoarding, to relieve the anxiety caused by the obsession.

Panic Disorder. People with panic disorder suffer severe attacks of panic, which may make them feel as if they are having a heart attack or can't breathe, for no apparent reason. Symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, sweating, trembling, tingling sensations, feeling of choking, fear of dying, fear of losing control, and feelings of unreality. Panic disorder often occurs with agoraphobia, in which people are afraid of having a panic attack in a place from which escape would be difficult, so they avoid these places.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Posttraumatic stress disorder can follow an exposure to a traumatic event such as a sexual or physical assault, witnessing a death, the unexpected death of a loved one, or natural disaster. Three main symptoms are associated with PTSD: "reliving" of the traumatic event through flashbacks or nightmares; avoidance behaviors (avoiding places related to the trauma) and emotional numbing (detachment from others); and physiological arousal such difficulty sleeping, irritability, or poor concentration.

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia). Social anxiety disorder is also called social phobia. It is characterized by extreme anxiety about being judged by others or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or ridicule. This intense anxiety may lead to avoidance behavior. Physical symptoms associated with this disorder include heart palpitations, faintness, blushing, and profuse sweating.

Specific Phobias. People with specific phobias suffer from an intense fear reaction to a specific object or situation (examples: spiders, dogs, heights). The level of fear is usually inappropriate to the situation and it is recognized by the sufferer as being irrational. This inordinate fear can lead to the avoidance of common, everyday situations.

Anxiety disorders are highly treatable with psychosocial therapies, medication, or both.

Take the quiz if you think you be suffering from anxiety.

Depression
Depression is a condition in which a person feels discouraged, sad, hopeless, unmotivated, or disinterested in life in general. When these feelings last for a short period of time, it may be a case of "the blues." But when such feelings last for more than two weeks and when the feelings interfere with daily activities such as taking care of family, spending time with friends, or going to work or school, it's likely a major depressive episode. Major depression is a treatable illness that affects the way a person thinks, feels, behaves, and functions.

Dysthymia
Dysthymia is a less severe, long-term, and chronic form of depression. It involves the same symptoms as major depression, mainly low energy, poor appetite or overeating, and insomnia or oversleeping. It can manifest as stress, irritability, and mild anhedonia, which is the inability to derive pleasure from most activities. People with dysthymia might be thought of as always seeing the glass as half empty.

Take the quiz if you think you may be suffering with depression.

 

Courtesty of Anxiety Disorders Association of America