When people think of ways to treat depression, typically medication will be the first to come to mind, and then therapy. Medication is used all over the United States for a variety of things, and it is often said that it is overprescribed. Still, little has been done about this issue, probably because everyone likes to have a quick, simple solution to their problems. However, for depression, psychotherapy is much more beneficial in the long term because it is associated with fewer relapses and has fewer risks and side effects involved. Psychotherapy, otherwise known as talk therapy, is used to treat mental illness and involves talking to a psychologist about one’s problems in order to work through them and develop coping strategies. Although talk therapy is sometimes thought of to be a lot of “talk” and little results, it can be a powerful tool, and can even alter the brain’s chemistry. Psychotherapy is the most effective way to treat depression in most cases, whether it is combined with medication or not. 

My reasoning for choosing this topic of research is that I was diagnosed with depression and was interested in the best forms of treatment. I started out solely using medication, and while it didn’t suddenly make me happy all the time, I found that it lessened the severity and frequency of my depressive episodes. About a year later, I started psychotherapy and did not see much benefit, most likely because I was not honest with my therapist. When I started seeing a different therapist, I found myself feeling happier rather than just sad, because I began to learn new coping strategies, and because disclosing all of the information that I normally never discussed managed to lift some of the burden. Although depression is not something can be solved easily or quickly, my personal experience showed that psychotherapy can do more to help people improve themselves rather than relying on medicine.

In one article published in 2007 in the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, it was stated that the recovery rate for antidepressants on depressed patients was roughly only one third. Because of this, alternate treatments need to be used, which is where psychotherapy comes into play. Psychotherapy is much more effective for the long haul because it searches for the root of the depression and ways to deal with it, rather than just taming the depressive symptoms. Research has also found that the relapse rate is much higher for depressive patients on medication than those who solely use psychotherapy. Furthermore, a study conducted by David Healy in 2004 found that out of participants that had not been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, ten percent became suicidal after taking an SSRI compared to a different medication. This is not to say that medication should never be used, because it can be lifesaving to some. Still, there are risks that come along with taking medication that is not completely necessary, which are lessened greatly by partaking in psychotherapy.

The reason that psychotherapy creates lasting effects that cannot come from medication is that it strives to change the cognitions that go along with a person’s depression in teaching them different ways of thinking and preparing for the occurrence of depressive episodes. That way, patients learn how to cope day to day with their depression, because medication cannot solve all of their problems for them. On the other hand, medication is more of a way of numbing a person and lessening their symptoms, rather than improving their condition from its core.

One reason that many people choose medication over psychotherapy is simply because it is less expensive. This is a completely valid reason, although some may find it more beneficial to do psychotherapy even if it is out of their price range, because they can reap the benefits in many aspects of their lives, such as the areas of family and work. 

Another reason why medication may be favored over psychotherapy is that the effects are more immediate, while psychotherapy may take time. Also, for harsh cases, medication may be necessary if immediate action needs to be taken. That is why it is often advised to take medication in combination with psychotherapy.

The reason why the treatment of depression is so important is that this is a very widespread issue, especially in America. 1 in 10 adults have been diagnosed with depression in the United States. Therefore, we need to worry about the well-being of a tenth of our population; if not for humanity’s sake, then for the sake of the economy. Depression correlates with unemployment and divorce, neither of which are good for the country. Therefore, this issue affects everyone, not just those who are depressed. Also, this speaks to the issue of the overprescribing of medications, because it is not just antidepressants that are overprescribed, but the majority of medications. People need to realize that some things can and should be treated in more natural ways, whether it is diet, exercise, or something else. Also, if medication is not truly necessary, it can add more health problems into the mix.