ABSTRACT
The following is a brief description of an actual case seen by one of us (RG) in his psychotherapy practice. The patient is a middle-aged man who was referred by his psychiatrist after a number of months of treatment on antidepressants. The patient, who had suffered with bouts of depression for most of his adult life, received some benefit from the initial course of medication treatment, but both he and his psychiatrist felt he might experience even more gains from the addition of psychotherapy treatment. The suspicion proved to be accurate. The patient was very responsive to talk therapy. Within a matter of a few months, several historical and interpersonal elements contributing to the patient’s dysphoria were identified and discussed. Ways in which the patient distorted present experiences based on his past were uncovered, and the patient began to make changes in how he responded to others, how he dealt with important decisions, and how he assessed his perception of himself. His confidence improved, and symptoms of depression evaporated. Ultimately, positive feelings and a continued sense of stability led the patient—with the concurrence of his psychiatrist—to the decision to taper and eventually discontinue taking antidepressants. The positive outcome continued over the ensuing months.
