• Topic
• Mental health >> Depression >> Talking therapies - experiences of talking therapy >> Talking therapies - experiences of talking therapy

Talking therapies - Experiencing therapy

• Clip
• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 29 and under >> Interview 18 >> She saw a university-based counsellor and was relieved to be able to talk about anything she wanted to an impartial and friendly person; she didn't te

Became depressed while looking after a friend with depression. Believes Seroxat contributed to her suicide attempt. With counselling and new medication (venlafaxine 150mg/day) she is getting better.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 27 >> In therapy she could talk to a stranger about issues she had never discussed, and work out what was at the root of her problems.

Her main helpful approaches include hospitalisation, various therapies (including art therapy), Citalopram (40mg/day), reduction in work hours, Christian prayer and diary writing.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 29 and under >> Interview 15 >> Found herself talking to her counsellor about things she would not talk to friends about, and discovered that she had put on a façade to cope with the

With the help of a caring GP, her counsellor, private hospital treatment, Efexor (150mg/day) and self-help books, she was feeling better and is keen to continue her healing and help others. She has written a book: Saving Samantha: A Young Woman's Escape from Childhood Hell (isbn 1401910300) about her experiences.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 34 >> Says it is not wrong to think about suicide. Thinking of suicide - and talking about it to a friend - comforts her and allows her to think about livin

Has had 3 bouts of depression since 1998 (including a suicide attempt). Main helpful approaches include therapy, Efexor (75mg/day), alternative therapies and writing in a diary.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 22 >> Through therapy has discovered why she is unhappy, including feeling at fault for things that go wrong around her, and so can tackle her depression be

Is now managed by a skilled team in the NHS, which includes long-term therapy. Therapy is addressing her distorted thinking patterns and difficult past. She now understands she can move beyond depression.

• Condition
• Mental health >> Depression >> Depression

Publication date: October 2004                 Last updated: October 2010

Review date: October 2012

 

Depression is a common condition with a range of different symptoms and types. We interviewed 38 people about their experiences of this condition. Select from the key topics below, choose from the full list of topics, or explore all the interviews.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 10 >> When depressed he thought that his friends and family didn't like him, but therapy helped him to see the distortion of this thinking.

Helpful approaches include counselling (which has helped him to address past abuse as well as being gay) removed himself from a bullying workplace; settling debts, swimming and moving away from London.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 23 >> His grandmother died and he became anxious his mother would also die. When his father later died, he tried to become the man of the house at the age o

While avoiding medication, helpful approaches have included counselling, self-help books and alternative therapies (e.g. re-birthing). These approaches have helped reduce negative thinking and anxiety.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 22 >> At university she was dealing with grief from her father's death when she was 3 years old.

Is now managed by a skilled team in the NHS, which includes long-term therapy. Therapy is addressing her distorted thinking patterns and difficult past. She now understands she can move beyond depression.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 09 >> His mother died, he was bullied, was neglected, isolated, lacked social skills, and he was fixated on a woman, hoping he could be rescued.

Since 1995 has undergone a recovery which has involved therapy (systemic consultation) as well as learning social skills, engaging in enjoyable activities, and involvement in self-help groups.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 08 >> She found a psychiatrist's manner off-putting, so she put up barriers and denied that she had any problems in her childhood, which was not true.

With the ongoing care of her GP and ongoing counselling with a skilled practitioner, she has been in recovery since early 2003. Not currently on medication.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Talking therapies - considering talking therapies >> Talking therapies - considering talking therapies

Talking therapies - Considering talking therapies

• Mental health >> Depression >> Talking therapies - finding a therapist >> Talking therapies - finding a therapist

Talking therapies - Finding a therapist

• Mental health >> Depression >> Talking therapies - experiences of talking therapy >> Talking therapies - experiences of talking therapy

Talking therapies - Experiencing therapy

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 22 >> Was surprised when her therapist told her she needed to be more stable on medication and have more social support before she was ready for therapy. (P

Is now managed by a skilled team in the NHS, which includes long-term therapy. Therapy is addressing her distorted thinking patterns and difficult past. She now understands she can move beyond depression.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 32 >> Pleads for more talking therapies to be provided to help people sort out their problems.

Feels her GP is excellent, but decided against medication. She has gained confidence over the years, and has benefited from NHS counselling, but is having trouble accessing further counselling.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 22 >> Her therapist told her she needed to be more stable on medication and have more social support around her before she was ready for therapy. (Played by

Is now managed by a skilled team in the NHS, which includes long-term therapy. Therapy is addressing her distorted thinking patterns and difficult past. She now understands she can move beyond depression.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 09 >> A social worker visited his home and helped his father to better understand depression, as well as helping him to talk issues through.

Since 1995 has undergone a recovery which has involved therapy (systemic consultation) as well as learning social skills, engaging in enjoyable activities, and involvement in self-help groups.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 10 >> Counselling revealed that his family did not talk about emotions easily, so he talked to his friends rather than his parents about his depression.

Helpful approaches include counselling (which has helped him to address past abuse as well as being gay) removed himself from a bullying workplace; settling debts, swimming and moving away from London.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 37 >> Family therapy helped her family to communicate better, as well helping her to accept that she loved but did not like her family.

Is currently feeling well after a recent rough patch. Helpful approaches have included talking therapies, Prozac (20mg/day), living in a sunnier climate, and exercise.