--Original published at Sydney’s Side
When it comes to major depressive order, there are two main types of treatment. One is psychotherapy which is the traditional counseling and meeting with a therapist. The other option is medication which fixes hormonal imbalances in the brain.
Psychology Today published an article entitled “Psychotherapy vs. Medications: The Verdict is in.” The site is reputable and intended for the general public. It provides basic information about new studies in the psychology field. The author of this article is Susan Krauss who had a Ph.D., showing she is reliable. The article claims psychotherapy can do much more than medications. It has proven to be an effective form of treatment for depression in many cases. But people are more likely to turn to drugs first. This could be harmful because prescriptions are often given without much consultation and have adverse side effects. The author also states 95% of government funding for mental health goes into medication instead of psychotherapy. She claims this is a part of the problem. She further cites evidence as to why it could be helpful to not use medication at all. For example, it is cheaper, a therapist is someone the patient can trust, and there is more evidence showing psychotherapy is more effective than medication.
The American Psychological Association also published an article advocating for psychotherapy for all forms of mental illness. This is a credible source because it is published by the official association on their organization website. It incorporates evidence from previous studies to prove the point. The article claims psychotherapy is more of a long-term solution than medication. Psychotherapy is being used as a second choice to medication when it comes to treating mental illnesses. The article claims it is due to marketing from prescription companies. Overall, therapy is proven to have fewer relapses, especially when it comes to anxiety and depression.
There is also evidence supporting medication over therapy when it comes to major depression disorder. The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care published the article, “Depression: How Effective are Antidepressants?”. The publication is credible because it was published in a peer reviewed journal and is updated biannually. The article admits, medication is not beneficial in all situations, but it helps others. It is the job of the prescriber to determine if medication is necessary. The job of antidepressants is to relieve the symptoms of depression by correcting chemical imbalances in the brain. Studies have shown, forty to sixty percent of people with depression, who use antidepressants, noticed an improvement in their mental health. More importantly, medication does help prevent relapses in many cases.
An article was published by Hazelden publishing, which is reputable because they are known for publishing a variety of articles about mental health. In “Medications Play a Key Role in Treatment,” the article describes the positive effects of drugs as well as how they work in combination with other treatments. It claims medication reduces the negative symptoms in a variety of mental disorders. It also provides evidence about the effectiveness of medication. The article uses serotonin-based medication as an example. They claim it reduces the symptoms of depression by thirty to sixty percent. When medication is combined with support from peers and family, those affected by depression are helped greatly.
There is significant evidence to demonstrate both psychotherapy and medication are effective forms of treatment in major depressive disorder. All of the evidence, however, shows different treatments work for different people. After a diagnosis, the individual should speak with an unbiased professional to discuss all treatment options. The evidence has also shown, medication works better in combination with psychotherapy, so either way this treatment is necessary. Medication should not be the first option because there are negative side effects and the drugs may not even work. There will always be trial and error when it comes to treating individuals because everyone is different. Personally, psychotherapy should always be used first because as a society, Americans are too centered on solving all problems with drugs.
References
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/10/psychotherapy.aspx
Depression: How effective are antidepressants? (2017, January 12). Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK361016/
Psychotherapy vs. Medications: The Verdict Is In. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-any- age/201507/psychotherapy-vs-medications-the-verdict-is-in
Tsharp. (n.d.). Medications Play a Key Role in Treatment | Behavioral Health Evolution.
Retrieved from http://www.bhevolution.org/public/medications.page