Severe Depression

A score exceeding 35 points on the CPRS Depression Test is indicative of a severe depression.

A severe depression is most effectively treated by an initial dose of medication followed by a prolonged period of therapy. Please note that medication should only be taken for a set period of time as they are highly addictive. Below is a list of symptoms commonly associated with depression. If you have experienced five of these symptoms for a duration of two-weeks or longer, you are eligible for a depression diagnosis. For a thorough list of the different types of depression and treatment methods, please read our Depression Guide.

Depressive Symptom

Those who suffer from a severe depression will experience many of the following system to an extreme degree and will have done so for a long period of time.

– A continuous feeling of anxiety, sadness and emptiness

– Irritability

– A pessimistic outlook on life

– Feeling hopeless

– Loss of interest in stimuli that previously interested you

– Low energy levels

– Sluggishness

– Feeling restless

– Loss of appetite and weight changes

– Frequent headaches, pains, cramps and digestive problems

– Having difficulty concentrating and remembering things

– Feelings of guilt, helplessness and worthlessness

– Disturb sleeping patterns (oversleeping or not sleeping enough)

– Suicidal thoughts or thoughts or death

Treatment Methods

If you have taken our CPRS Depression Test and received a score within the boundaries for what is considered a severe depression, then there are two ways of improving your mood. The most common way of treating a severe depression is a combination of medication and therapy sessions. Medication will initially be used for a set period of time to improve mood levels and to bring the patient down towards the boundaries of a moderate depression. This will allow the therapist to work more efficiently with the patient in the long-term.

Therapy

Choosing a therapist may seem difficult given all the different types of therapy available these days. When it comes to dealing with depression there are two main categories of therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and psychodynamic therapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy works towards healing the symptoms of inner conflict whilst psychodynamic therapy works towards mending the conflict itself and freeing the person of depressive symptoms permanently.

Wherapy offers 1-on-1 therapy sessions to people suffering from depression. Our sessions are conducted online for a duration of 50-minutes and can be purchased in packs of 1-session, 3-sessions or 5-sessions. If you are interested in purchasing a session, click on the button below.

Medication

Antidepressants can be used in order to break a prolonged period of severe depression. This is primarily achieved through the drugs affect on serotonin and norepinephrine levels. Antidepressants should however be phased out once the patient has returned to a moderate level of depression and be substituted for therapy sessions.

Clomipramine: Clomipramine belongs to a category of medicines called tricyclic antidepressants and restores chemicals that occur naturally in the brain such as serotonin.

Trazodone: Much like Clomipramine, Trazodone helps restore serotonin levels in the brain. In many cases it helps elevate mood and energy levels, decreases anxiety and insomnia and increases appetite.

Citalopram: Citalopram (SSRIs) also helps raise serotonin levels in the brain. An additional affect of citalopram is improved energy levels.

Sertraline: Sertraline belongs to a group of medications called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and is frequently used to treat depression and anxiety related disorders as well as OCD.

Desiprimine: Desipramine belongs to a group of medication called tricyclic antidepressants. It works by restoring the balance of norepinephrine in the brain which results in an improvement in mood and energy levels, appetite, sleep pattern as well as an increased interest in daily life.

In order to receive a prescription for antidepressants, you must visit your local doctor or psychologists. In some cases you may have to be diagnosed with a specific type of depression. Antidepressants can be addictive and should always be taken after a thorough consultation with a certified medical practitioner.

Coming Soon – Wherapy Plus!

Those of you who feel the need for some extra help, but cannot afford therapy sessions, may be interested in our soon-to-launch subscription service.

Inspired by the popularity of self-help books, Wherapy Plus offers self-help video courses based on psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. Each session will be comprised of a video tutorial and a theoretical exercise.