Can depressive illnesses be treated?

Yes. There are various ways of treating depressive illnesses depending on the type of illness, the severity, and the age of the person being treated. Much of the research has shown that a combination of antidepressant medication along with psychotherapy is the quickest, most effective treatment. Many times, antidepressant medication is first needed to clear the foggy head, thereby allowing a person to concentrate better and think more clearly in their therapy sessions. The brain has to be in good working order before problem-solving can begin.

Antidepressant medications correct the chemical imbalance or the chemical disruption in a person's brain. They are not addictive like common street drugs, because they aren't pep pills or uppers. If a person took antidepressant medication who didn't have depression, the medication wouldn't have any effect on them. It wouldn't make them happier or give them any more energy. That's why they've never been bought or sold on the street, because they aren't mood-altering in the sense that street drugs are. If a person took an aspirin, but didn't have a fever, the aspirin wouldn't do anything to his/her normal body temperature. Antidepressant medication can't treat something that doesn't exist in the first place.

Some people take antidepressant medication for a year or so, others may take it for the rest of their life. Diabetes is treated with insulin, heart disease is treated with heart medication, and depressive illnesses are treated, many times, but not always, with antidepressant medication.

Psychotherapy is talking therapy. There are several types of psychotherapy, but two have been proven to be very beneficial in the treatment of depressive illnesses.

Cognitive therapy focuses on trying to change a person's negative thinking and the inaccurate perceptions they have of themselves and their environment. People are taught to think logically. Example: "If I can't do this project perfectly, I can't do it at all." (illogical)

Interpersonal therapy teaches a person how to successfully interact with others. Depressive illnesses interfere with how a person treats his or her family, friends, and co-workers, which consequently affects how he or she is treated in return. Interpersonal therapy focuses on social skills.