JUST TALK… THAT’S ONE OF THE BEST TREATMENTS

THE treatment of depression is usually a triad: self-help such as meditation or exercise, medication and psychotherapy.

Antidepressants are prescribed, most commonly SSRIs – selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors – including sertraline, citalopram and fluoxetine.

These pills are recommended as the most effective, with the fewest side-effects, as proven by scientific studies. Which one we give patients depends on the severity of the depression, symptoms and background health. After the initial period, an antidepressant will take up to four weeks to build up its effects.

There is as strong a scientific basis for the talking therapies as there is for the medicines: it is not a second-rate option.

CBT, which Lisa had, is commonly used and established as effective treatment for depression. I have seen first hand, time and time again, how effective it can be. But this is not the only option: interpersonal therapy, which focuses on everyday interactions with others, can also be useful, as is a treatment called psychodynamic psychotherapy.

A combination of the latter approach and CBT is offered by some therapists: this is known as cognitive analytical therapy or CAT. Like any mental health condition, depression is a very significant diagnosis.

The diagnosis itself comes with feelings of guilt and shame, which can simply heap problem upon problem.

But the more we talk openly about it, in the same way we would any other illness – as Lisa says – the easier it will become.