Depression is a common outcome of experiencing trauma. If negative thoughts and feelings of sadness persist, participation in everyday activities like going to work, seeing friends, even getting out of bed can become hard. If this is how you are feeling, you may have developed depression. Depression is a common mental health problem, with one in five Australians experiencing it at least once in their lives.
Effective treatments for depression are available including counselling, medication, or a combination of both.
The most effective treatment for depression is a counselling approach known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). During CBT treatment, you will learn how your thoughts (how you think) (and actions) (what you do) can lead to you feeling depressed.
CBT helps you tackle the two main problems that stop you from feeling better:
How will CBT help me?
During your counselling sessions, you will learn how to:
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is another approach that is effective in helping people manage their depression. IPT helps you understand how the way you communicate and connect with other people in your life (work, family, friends and others) might contribute to your depression. IPT aims to reduce the symptoms of depression by teaching you skills to better manage your relationships with others.
In some cases, CBT or IPT might be combined with anti-depressant medication to help you manage your feelings. If you choose not to have counselling, or a CBT or IPT counsellor is not available for you to see, you may be prescribed anti-depressant medication on its own.
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