The purpose of this article is to provide a review of current social psychology theories explaining depressive disorders and to describe selected nonpharmacological approaches that may be useful in treating disorders related to these causes. It is essential that providers of health care are alert to the signs and symptoms of depression. For many cases of depression, the presentation is not straightforward. Early recognition by both provider and client is important to the successful treatment of depressive disorders. The cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal therapies discussed in this article may be useful to augment other types of alternative and complementary healing modalities or for clients who prefer nonpharmacological treatment.
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