Which Depression Treatments Are Best – And Best For Me?

In terms of getting professional treatment for depression, the good news is that it’s effective – whether the treatment is psychotherapy or a pharmaceutical drug.

We all have preferences and biases, based on our personal experiences or what we’ve heard from friends or learned on the web. So, what we seek for depression help or treatment is going to be influenced by these experiences. The important thing is that we’ve made the decision to get help from someone – a social worker, family therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist.

When we believe a particular treatment for depression will work, often it does. That’s because the “placebo effect” is real. Research shows that our beliefs and expectations can significantly influence neurophysiological and neurochemical activity in parts of the brain involved in perception, movement, pain, and emotion processing. So, if you think psychotherapy – or talk therapy – is the best treatment for depression, it very well may be the best treatment approach for you.

What research shows matters most in terms of being helped is the effectiveness of the person who’s helping you. That’s true whether the person is talking with you or writing a prescription for an antidepressant medication.

Many men, however, are reluctant to use antidepressant medications. They want to soldier on without pharmaceutical assistance. This isn’t a bad idea, necessarily, if it includes some self-help strategies.

If your symptoms of depression persist, however, don’t soldier on alone for too long. Having someone at your side can be very helpful and effective. So, talk to an expert.