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Comment by anjc | Hacker News Reader

Is there any evidence that talking about depression openly, or talk-type therapies, help to reduce depression? My experience of colleagues talking openly about these things is that it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle, and ultimately makes things worse.

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Relevant background:I'm a psychiatrist.

"Talking about it" and "talking with a therapist" are different, and a good therapist using an evidence-based approach to therapy is effective. Evidence-based therapies are different than "chatting with a buddy."

That said, finding a good and well-trained therapist is often difficult. In approximately 10% of people, psychotherapy makes things worse rather than better. Sleep hygiene and regular exercise are always a good idea, and in some cases medication is worth considering.

> Evidence-based therapies are different than "chatting with a buddy."

Do you have any experimental evidence for that?

Yes, here's a good place to start: http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/understanding-psychotherapy.as...

Great username by the way.

I think you're only thinking that because they're letting it be more visible in order to get support.

The alternative is that they put on a mask to function in society, because they don't want to be a burden, all the while dying inside...

Until they unexpectedly disappear, because they've committed suicide.

Essentially I'm questioning this common idea that talking about depression will alleviate it, and maybe prevent suicide. I'm not saying that it doesn't, I'm just asking for evidence that it does. My anecdotal experience is that people who talk about it, solidify it into their outward personality. I'm not sure it's a good thing, but other posters seem to have had good outcomes.

Anecdotal evidence is that it has changed my life. It may not work for everyone. But it'll probably be effective if you want it to be.

As regarding "making things worse"... well, sometimes it might. For example, say over the years you've developed strategies for coping with depression that involve angry outbursts. Getting into therapy to help with the angry outbursts may "reveal" the underlying depression for which those coping strategies were developed.

Therapy isn't a production line. Everyone is different. You are paying a mental health professional to get to know you as well as you feel comfortable with, and collaborate with you on treatment for what you're there for.

I have some level of social anxiety and it helped me a lot to talk to someone who accepted it as a real thing. Previously my experience was that people wouldn't want to hear how I felt and just told me "go out, talk to a few people and have fun".

I think it's the same for depression. It's nice to not have to live in hidden shame where you know that something is wrong but nobody accepts it as real.

I think it depends on the individual. Sometimes talking about these things helps, sometimes it doesn't. It generally helps me.

I have some colleagues that talk about hardly much else, and it’s more trouble than it’s worth.

It’s irritating and off-putting.

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