DBT for Depression
In the past few decades, mental health experts have done a lot of work researching and exploring depression. There are now several types of therapeutic techniques that can help people with depression better handle their challenges. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be especially useful. Learning about this type of therapy can help you decide if it is right for you.
What Is Depression?
Depression is a mood disorder that countless people face. Caused by complex interactions of brain chemistry, environment, hormones, genetics, and stress, depression greatly impacts normal emotions. It is often stereotyped as intense feelings of sadness, but it is actually quite complex. Symptoms of depression include:
- Intense emotions of sadness, hopelessness, or anger
- Loss of interest in relationships and hobbies
- An inability to feel emotions
- Self-hatred or feeling a lack of self-worth
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Eating too much or too little
- Difficulty with memory or focus
- Constant feelings of fatigue
- Frequent thoughts of death or self-harm
- Vague, undefined physical problems like headaches
Currently, there is no immediate cure for depression. Instead, addressing the symptoms of depression must involve a blend of therapy, medicine, and other medical treatments.
History of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
DBT was first developed in the late 1980s by Dr. Marsha Linehan. It developed as an expansion of the cognitive behavioral therapy that was so common at the time. CBT involves teaching patients how to change their behavior or thinking patterns to cope with challenges and enhance mental wellbeing. However, Dr. Marsha Linehan noticed that patients with borderline personality disorder did not do well with CBT because they felt like the therapist was attacking or criticizing them.
Therefore, she worked to develop a new type of therapy, based on the concept of dialectical debate. This therapy was meant to help patients with intense emotions and black-and-white ways of thinking. It emphasizes helping patients to regulate their emotions, accept themselves, and find healthier worldviews.
What is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy?
DBT is all about the ability to combine opposing worldviews. Essentially, the therapy promotes a “both-and” viewpoint instead of an “either-or” outlook. This allows people to find a healthier balance in life. It helps patients who are challenged by negatively, strictly defined thoughts like “I’m worthless unless I hold a job.” Through DBT, patients learn to combine their views with healthier viewpoints, so they can accept thoughts like “Having a job is good, but I can find meaning outside of my career.”
In therapy sessions, patients work to first define problematic thoughts or behaviors then accept new, healthier concepts. Over time, they build skills for handling challenging situations or negative thinking. DBT contains a unique blend of individual therapy, group therapy, and even phone therapy. The goal is to let patients get one-on-one help, practice skills in a controlled environment, and then get support in day to day life.
How DBT Helps Treat Depression
It may have originally been created for patients with BPD, but DBT for depression can be just as effective. Doctors have found that people with very rigid ways of thinking often respond well to DBT since it focuses on merging supposedly different views. The therapy’s focus on building skills and improving a patient’s outlook can target some of the key symptoms of depression.
There are a few DBT treatment methods that are particularly helpful for managing depression. Training modules that focus on mindfulness help patients learn how to better recognize their emotions and clearly communicate their needs. Self-soothing techniques can make it easier to cope when a patient is particularly distressed. By learning to logically handle intense emotions, patients can respond better to intrusive, negative thoughts. The parts of DBT that involve interpersonal skills and group therapy sessions can help patients with depression work on rebuilding their social support system.
DBT’s ability to help adjust outlooks can be invaluable for people with depression. As the therapist builds a relationship with their patient, they emphasize validation and tolerance. By helping patients explore their self-strengths, therapists can help patients accept and love themselves. DBT for depression directly addresses a lot of the thoughts that make it so hard to live with depression.
How TMS Works in Conjunction with DBT
Because depression has both physical and psychological causes, therapy alone is not always enough to treat it. In many cases, patients do best with a combination of medical treatment and therapy. This helps to balance brain chemistry while giving the patient the tools they need to address their challenges. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be a valuable tool for addressing depression.
This treatment method involves using a magnetic field to stimulate the nerve cells in the brain. TMS is an entirely painless and non-invasive treatment that can help activate certain fields of the brain, resulting in better mood control. Research has found it can work even in cases of medication-resistant depression.
A typical treatment regimen for patients who need TMS and DBT will be getting daily TMS treatments alongside bi-weekly DBT for depression sessions. The TMS works to gradually improve brain function, while the DBT sessions help you learn to regulate moods and better interact with others. An individualized treatment plan that uses TMS and DBT to address all the challenges of depressions simultaneously can be extremely effective.
Get Help Now
If you or a loved one has depression, you do not have to struggle alone. There are all sorts of widely effective treatments available for this mental health condition. At Pulse TMS, we provide TMS therapy for depression. Our non-invasive treatment has been FDA approved for medication-resistant depression, so it can help to alleviate symptoms. We can help you craft a treatment plan that incorporates TMS alongside other traditional treatments like therapy. Contact us to schedule your consultation today.