There are a variety of techniques to help people change the kind of thinking that leads them to become depressed. These techniques are called cognitive behavioral therapy.
From Irving Kirsch
Anything that instills a sense of hope will at least temporarily help treat depression.
The big bulk of the response to antidepressants is the placebo response.
If doctors just spent more time with their patients so they felt more reassured, that might help.
The doctor-patient relationship is critical to the placebo effect.
Patients who trust their doctors and have a psychological expectation of getting better could trigger a reaction in their body.
Nocebos often cause a physical effect, but it's not a physically produced effect. What's the cause? In many cases, it's an unanswered question.
To someone who is not currently on anti-depressants, I would suggest trying other treatments first - for example, psychotherapy.
Antidepressants can have troubling side effects and are addictive for some people.
Perhaps 10 percent of patients who are prescribed antidepressants are really benefiting from the drugs' active ingredients.
7 perspectives
6 perspectives
4 perspectives
1 perspectives