Do you sometimes feel like you are completely alone in this world? Don't you feel like talking to others or laughing because of the sadness and pressure you feel? Do you feel like your relationships with family and friends are gradually drifting apart due to depression? In fact, depression is something that affects not only our minds, but also our relationships with those around us. If so, this article will be very important for you, because today we are talking about a special treatment method that will help you heal your human relationships.
Simply put, what is Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)?
Interpersonal Therapy, or IPT as we call it for short, is a short-term, intensive treatment for depression. To be precise, it is a psychotherapy session that takes place once a week for about three to four months.
Think about it this way. You have a wound on your leg. The cause of that wound may be a stone on the road. But when you walk, run, or place your foot on the ground incorrectly, that wound hurts even more, and may even fester. Similarly, the cause of the 'towel' called depression may be something else. However, the 'walk' of our human relationships can either make that wound better or worse. IPT therapy works by correcting that 'walk', that is, the way you manage your human relationships.
The important thing is that IPT never says that your depression is caused by your relationships. However, depression is caused by and affects our relationships. So when those relationship issues are addressed, the symptoms of depression can be greatly improved. Some studies have shown that this treatment is just as effective as medication for mild to moderate depression.
The four main areas of focus in IPT treatment
In this type of therapy, you don't talk about all the problems in your life. Instead, you choose one or two major areas of relationship problems that you think are most affecting your depression and talk about them in depth. It's like untying two or three major knots in a large tangle. Once you untie those knots, the rest will fall into place more easily.
These problem areas are generally divided into four main types.
| Problem Area | What does simply mean? |
|---|---|
| Interpersonal Disputes | Conflicts with your spouse, parents, children, work colleagues, or friends. Conflicts like this can occur when two people have different expectations. |
| Role Transitions | Big changes in life. For example, getting married, starting or losing a job, moving to a new city, becoming a parent. These changes can bring with them feelings of loneliness and loss. |
| Grief | Grief caused by the death of someone very close to you. This grief can be a problem if it lasts longer than usual or appears later. |
| Interpersonal Deficits | Difficulty making new friends or maintaining existing relationships. Lack of sociability or poor quality of relationships. |
How does this treatment actually work?
The therapist will work with you to help you resolve issues related to these areas.
How to resolve interpersonal conflicts
Imagine, when a wife starts a new job and becomes a little more independent, her husband starts to feel insecure. Because of this, there are frequent fights between the two. Here, the therapist talks to the husband and helps him understand the reason for this conflict and what misunderstandings he has in his mind. After that, he teaches him communication training and problem-solving techniques.
How to cope with life changes
Imagine that you have come to Colombo from your village for a job. Your old life, friends, and home environment are all gone, and you have to adjust to a new environment on your own. This can feel like a great loss. Here, the therapist helps you understand the differences between your old role (the person in the village) and your new role (the person doing the job alone in Colombo) . They also help you identify exactly what is difficult for you in this new role and help you find solutions to those.
How to manage grief
The grief you feel when you lose someone you love cannot be expressed in words. Sometimes that grief is bottled up inside. In IPT, the therapist helps you to release that grief. He or she uses two main methods to do so.
- Empathetic listening: Creates a safe environment for you to express your feelings and concerns. Listens to you without judgment.
- Clarification: Helps you understand and get rid of any misconceptions or unnecessary thoughts you may have about the death or the person.
How to overcome weaknesses in relationships
Do you have thoughts like "I can't make friends" or "No one wants to talk to me"? During this time, the therapist will talk about your past relationships, or the relationship you are building with the therapist. Through this, they will look for patterns that are interfering with your relationships. For example, patterns such as being unnecessarily dependent on others or constantly being angry/hostile with others will be identified. Then, they will help you change those patterns and encourage you to build new relationships.
How are treatment sessions organized?
This treatment process is very systematic. It can be divided into three main stages.
1. Initial Phase (Weeks 1-3): These first few sessions are designed to assess your level of depression, give you a better understanding of IPT treatment, and identify one or two issues that are affecting you the most from the four areas we discussed earlier.
2. Middle stage (about the next 8 sessions): This is the heart of the treatment. This is where the identified problems begin to be addressed. The therapist uses a variety of techniques, such as role playing, communication analysis, and encouragement of affect.
3. The final phase (about the last 4 weeks): One of the special things about IPT is that the end of treatment is considered part of the treatment itself . From the beginning, you know that this is something that is done for a limited time. Eventually, the end of this treatment may feel like a 'loss' to you. We talk about how to cope with that feeling and how to use what you have learned so far. This is to strengthen you to face any problems that come up in the future on your own.
What happens after treatment ends?
Depression is a condition that can sometimes recur. Therefore, after 12-16 weeks of treatment, you may be referred to maintenance therapy if necessary. This involves meeting with your therapist about once a month to reinforce what you have learned. This can help prevent relapses due to the stress of building new social relationships.
Take-Home Message
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is a short-term, scientifically proven psychotherapy used for depression.
- This doesn't blame human relationships for your depression. Instead, it uses those relationships as a way to heal.
- This therapy focuses on one or two specific areas, such as interpersonal conflicts, life changes, grief, or difficulties in building relationships.
- The ultimate goal is to empower you to manage your relationships and, through them, your symptoms of depression on your own.
- If you feel that your sadness is affecting your relationships, ask your doctor or therapist if IPT is a good option for you. Mental health is something you deserve.
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