Medications, Therapy, or Both? At West Maui Counseling Center, we work with lots of our Maui community members who are struggling with Clinical Depression. First and foremost, we conduct a thorough assessment during the first few appointments and obtain the correct diagnosis. From there, we are able to create an effective treatment plan together with our patient which could involve individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, family therapy, and/or psychotropic medications. If I think a medication, such as an antidepressant SSRI, could help my patient but they are really against or uncomfortable with medications, I don’t push it! It would be counterproductive and more stressful negating any therapeutic effect of the meds in the first place. Well surely that’s not going to help….
Studies show that talk therapy along with changes in diet, and most importantly increased EXERCISE, can be as effective, creating the physiological effects the brain is needing through the release of endorphins, affecting serotinergic activity. Don’t get me wrong, for some patients medications are essential. There is an abundance of evidence in the empirical literature that the combination of medications and psychotherapy is the most effective approach in treating Clinical Depression. That’s what the data says, but the key in real life practice is to be flexible, to work together through the process of recovery. For those who are resistant to trying meds, we usually agree to create a treatment plan without medications first, and see how the patient responds. Sometimes we have to change our plan but what is most important, is that we are working collaboratively toward alleviating the suffering.
One of the aspects of what I think makes my team at West Maui Counseling Center so special is that we all share this value system: We are aware and take responsibility for providing competent professional expertise, but truly believe that our patients bring an invaluable expertise to the table as well. We believe that our patients are the ultimate experts on their own internal experience, and that the combination of those two experts in the therapy room is what helps our patients conquer depression and get back to living full and healthy lives!
If you or a loved one may be suffering from depression contact us for an appointment, we are here to help.
Very nice read. Good to see more written on a subject that most people don’t want to talk about. As someone who once had been diagnosed with depression, I was lucky to have the option of both. In short, I used to be one of those people who would never consider anything BUT exercise and therapy to cure depression or anything else for that matter. To my surprise, until I was diagnosed, I had no idea how serious my depression was. I felt I was running out of options to naturally help myself out of the black hole. At the time I chose to take an SSRI for a few months, along with other natural therapies and self hypnosis. It took a little time, and some major life changing decisions, but I felt the SSRI, was an important part of me finding my way back. Once I could get past the fog, I could feel me, back to my more happy self that I had been used to being for most of my life. I tapered off the meds in a few months and am grateful for the options. I am no longer judgmental about medications for depression and they type of people who take them, as I had been in the past. I have a better understanding of how something like depression can creep up on someone, like the frog in the boiling water analogy. It isn’t always as simple as repeating affirmations everyday…those are just words. The words need to have the actual feeling behind them or the brain simply won’t get it. Thanks.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment and sharing your personal story which highlights nicely the premise of this post. A great example for others to read and find hope in climbing out of that black hole. I agree that affirmations are just words, and are great for someone who is not at a clinical level. But for someone who is suffering from severe depression, they are literally unable to authentically feel positive emotions until the brain is back in balance, You clearly have fortitude and did whatever it took to recover. I’m so glad you are better! You are a shining example of the resiliency in us all 🙂
Very nice article, thanks sharing with us,
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