Does therapy actually work for depression?

For me, it seems it wouldn't work, as it would be the same as talking to a relative, which I have done to manage my depression, but with limited results. What do you think? Does therapy actually work for severe depression...without any kind of medication (my aunt was on medication and it completely screwed up her world)?

No, you just got to stop being a bitch on your own and fast.

No, talking to a relative is not the same as talking to someone who has studied for years to dissect the underlying causes of your depression. I think therapy can be effective but it really depends on the quality. Just like any other profession there are really good therapists and there are not so good therapists. If you're curious give it a try. You'll really have to do some research though to find someone good and it will be expensive. I went to one for anxiety and it was 100 a week and that was after I talked him down...

to a degree I would say depending the case. it helped me, of course I switched 4 times till I found someone I enjoyed seeing every week

It's not the same as family because family will always give you a subjective point of view since they know you so well. Professionals give you the objective view and address the problems you have with no personal feelings getting in the way. If you're suffering from depression I would say seek help outside of family. Some of the underlying causes might be your family relationships and you need to keep that separate if you're going to "heal".

You have to stick with it and find a therapist who you can really connect with. Therapy along with medication is the absolute best way to treat depression.

It does work ! I was a cold hearted evil dude, but they hipnotized me and made me a better person. So i was told by my wife i was a changed man. Lol ..

ps. But now i suck at COD black ops 2

Depression is a fake illness.

This.

There's a big difference between depressions, and the psychological disease depression. The main problem is that they treat both the same way, medicate, medicate, medicate. People are hopped up on drugs for something they shouldn't be. It is well known that some people have brain problems that lead them to always be in a depressed state of mind. Those are the people that need medication.

I would agree that people who are depressed only because of an outside factor, like the quality of their life, loss of a loved one, and what not, should not be giving all the medication a psychologically depressed person gets. There are better ways to get over depression than popping pills. That is just my view on it though.

On topic though, a therapist might be a good idea. The success not only depends on how good the therapist is, but how much you're willing to work with them too. If you don't want it to work, or don't think it will work, it won't. You need to put in effort as well.

Imagining something will or won't work is a waste of time. Pursuing positive change is what's important.

self medication is more effective

Try it and see. Or you could just take some pills, they make you a little twitchy but whatevs

It can be useful, but it's not a cure. They basically give you guidance, find out what's missing from/ currently in your life that could be causing your depression, but it's still then up to you to go out there and sort it out. It's not the same as talking it out with a family member because they'll just tell you what you want to hear, while a therapist will help you come up with your own answers.

TC, you've created several threads about how shitty your life is. Either you're looking for attention or really don't understand that this is the worst place to ask for advice.

Talk to a professional and then go from there.

No

Personally, I think you need to find the cause of your depression. Once you find the cause ask why is it bother you.

For example,

I had stab wound, and for the longest time I was self conscious about it even though my family/friends thought it was a cool "war story".

Bothered me up to the point I didn't like taking off my shirt (avoided beaches, family events, etc...), but now that it's faded it still bothers me - though not as much.

I resorted to drugs to help me, but I don't recommend that.

It never helped me get over my depression.

I guess it depends. Some forms of depression are due to chemical issues in the brain, specifically I think the brain releases lesser amounts of certain neurotransmitters than it should, and thus have to be treated medically.

It can - it depends on if you actually put forth some effort to get better.

If you go to a therapist/psychologist expecting him to give you a magical pep-talk that makes everything ok, you're going to be disappointed. What they can do is to help you find the root of your problems and show you how to make changes to your life that will help you.

therapy with a professional not so much, therapy with friends or family maybe

For sure finding the right therapist is the best. I connected to my therapist through believe or not... Video Games. He had a surprising amount of video game knowledge and he told me, I was the only person in 30 years of work that has a lot of game knowledge (which I don't believe but still cool beans)

Also got to put the effort in yourself of course if it's going to work.

i agree

get a prescription from Dr. Jack Daniels

Not the best place to ask....

we have an army of armchair psychologists

op came to the right place

I'm sure there are all different kinds of therapy and you don't really know unless you try.

They can help. Hell, they can save your life.

Talking to a friend or someone close isn't the same. Especially in this day and age, where being a psychologist means that they've studied the workings of emotion and the human brain for at least 10 years of their life. Does talking to anyone help more than bottling it up? Absolutely, but a trained physician who can prescribe medicine if necessary will trump that almost every time. You need to find someone who you feel good talking to, who understands you, and who you get along with, but "just talking" to a friend or family member isn't enough sometimes. Sometimes you - legit - have chemical imbalances that need to be corrected for you to function on the level you need to.

Not saying everyone needs medicine. They don't. Not saying talking to friends can't solve your issues, either, because it can. But it really depends on a person's situation, and if they're actually clinically depressed or not. There's feeling down on yourself, and then there's depression. There very different things, the ladder being far worse than the former.

@4myAmuzumament: I wouldn't say fake, it's more of a way of thinking.

It's not real because it's in your head.

But it is very harmful.

It can also be real if you have a very rare chemical imbalance which makes you completely wrong.

But it also wouldn't be called depression if chemical imbalances were involved.

Solving problems works better.