DOES PSYCHOTHERAPY HELP IN DEPRESSION

In Denmark there is no tradition for the treatment of depression with psychotherapy. The depressive state and its treatment has been conceiv ed mainly as a biological concern. In the psychodynamic literature, lo ss has always been emphasized as the causal factor in depression, but in recent years awareness of the vulnerability of personality to physi cal loss has become greater. The practice of psychotherapy in connecti on with depressions, however, is appropriate and useful. Furthermore, supportive psychotherapy should certainly be practised with most types of depression, interpersonal therapy when there are problems with oth ers, cognitive therapy in the case of patients who explicitly seek str uctured help, and psychodynamic therapy in cases of personality proble ms. Psychotherapy can often be used with advantage for depressions con currently during treatment with antidepressant medication.