🧔🏻‍♂️Meet John. John is a 45-year-old man who has recently lost his JOB and experiencing symptoms of depression....

IPT can help! What is IPT?

First, let us define what IPT is…

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on improving interpersonal relationships and communication in order to alleviate symptoms of mental health disorders.

IPT can effectively treat various mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

Depression is a sickness that makes people sad and can sometimes be very serious. Doctors and scientists have been looking for ways to help people with depression feel better.

One way is to give them medicine that helps their brain work better, but sometimes the medicine doesn't work perfectly. Talking to a special doctor called a therapist can help some people feel better.

There are two types of talking therapy that is good for depression.

One is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and the other is called interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT).

IPT is a talking therapy that helps people with depression understand that their sickness is not their fault, and that they can get better with help. The therapist helps the patient to talk about their feelings and the things that have happened in their life that have made them feel sad.

Sometimes when something bad happens, it can make people feel very sad for a long time, but if they talk to the therapist about it, they can learn how to feel better. The therapist helps the patient plan to solve the problem and feel better. Talking to the therapist helps the patient learn how to talk to other people and make friends, which can also help them feel better.

• difficulty sleeping,

• appetite changes,

• fatigue,

• And feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.

Cause

IPT is based on the idea that our interpersonal relationships can significantly impact our mental health.

Negative interactions with others can contribute to symptoms of mental health disorders, while positive interactions can help alleviate them.

Our patient -

John is a 45-year-old man struggling with depression for several months because of losing his job.

Through IPT, John has learned to identify negative patterns in his interpersonal relationships and communicate his needs more effectively.

With the help of a therapist, John has also developed a support network of positive relationships to help him manage his symptoms.

Structure of Treatment

IPT is a treatment for major depression that lasts for 12-16 weeks and has three phases: the beginning, middle, and end. In the initial phase, the therapist identifies the target diagnosis and the interpersonal context in which it presents. This is done by using the DSM-IV or ICD-10 criteria and measures such as the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale or the Beck Depression Inventory to diagnose major depression. The therapist also reviews the patient's patterns in relationships, capacity for intimacy, and evaluates current relationships to elicit an "interpersonal inventory".

In the middle phase, the therapist uses specific strategies to deal with the patient's focus area, which could be a complicated bereavement, resolving an interpersonal struggle, helping a patient mourn the loss of an old role, or decreasing social isolation. The therapy is likely to address the patient's ability to assert their needs and wishes in interpersonal encounters, validate their anger as a normal interpersonal signal, and encourage taking appropriate social risks.

The IPT therapist is relaxed and supportive, aiming to be the patient's ally. No formal homework is assigned, but the goal of solving the focal interpersonal problem area provides an overall task. The scheduling of sessions once weekly accentuates that the emphasis is on the patient's real life, not the office. The therapist reviews the past week's events with the patient, reinforcing healthy interpersonal skills when the patient succeeds in an interpersonal situation and helping them analyze what went wrong when the outcome is adverse.

Overall, IPT is a practical treatment that focuses on the connection between mood and life events, aiming to help patients deal with their interpersonal problems to improve their overall well-being.

"The quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives."

- Esther Perel

IPT therapy can also be done with your spouse, family, or trusted friends.

These are what NOT to do during IPT therapy:

• Don't blame or criticize the patient.

• Don't give advice

• Don't dismiss the patient's concerns.

• Don't ignore the patient's nonverbal communication.

• Don’t rush the process.

On the other hand, if YOU are the patient. These are what NOT to do during IPT therapy to optimize the treatment.

• Don't skip sessions

• Don't be passive

• Don't avoid difficult topics

• Don't expect immediate results

• Don't stop taking prescribed medications without consulting a healthcare provider.

That’s all for today. I hope you like it. 🤗