Most people who experience major depressive disorder (MDD) will have more than one episode in their lifetime. Your likelihood of having another depressive episode increases with each one. After your first episode, you have a 50% chance of having a second one. It increases to 70% after the second one and 90% after the third one.

After you’ve fought hard to recover and rebuild your life, having another episode can feel like losing all the progress you’ve made. These feelings of frustration are real, but they’re not entirely based in truth.

Once you’ve learned about MDD and developed a skill set for managing your symptoms, depression can’t take that away from you. Virtual Partial Hospitalization Program (vPHP) can help you build resilience and find coping skills that work for you — and you can do it all without leaving home.

In this article, we’ll share five ways Virtual PHP can help you manage recurrent major depressive disorder.

5 ways Virtual PHP can help you manage recurrent major depressive disorder

Outpatient therapy may not be enough to manage your depression symptoms. Day treatment programs offer more consistency and more comprehensive support to help you through your toughest moments. 

Virtual PHP allows you to practice skills and build habits in the environments where you’ll be using them most. It also connects you with other people who understand what you’re going through and helps you strengthen your personal support system.

The following are five ways Virtual PHP can help you manage recurrent major depressive disorder:

• Provides intensive, consistent support that matches the severity of your condition 

Virtual PHP typically includes more than 20 hours of treatment each week, in the comfort of your home. Our licensed clinicians will tailor your treatment plan to fit your needs and your goals. Many of our clients attend vPHP for several weeks or months and then transition to lower levels of treatment. 

We want to help you feel prepared to manage your symptoms on your own. However, you can always come back to vPHP when you need it. We have a Short-Term Option that allows you to participate in any level of treatment for just two weeks.

• Builds robust coping strategies to prevent and manage future episodes 

During treatment, you’ll get familiar with your warning signs of a depressive episode and learn to recognize them. You’ll get plenty of practice with coping skills and practical adjustments to make daily self-care habits easier to manage. 

You’ll also work on building resilience so that when your depression comes back, you can access your skills and stick to your self-care plan.

• Allows you to access treatment from home when depression makes leaving difficult 

Low energy and lack of motivation are hallmarks of depression. These symptoms can make it hard to get to treatment in person. Treatment is also less effective when you’re using up all of your internal resources to get through the day. 

Virtual PHP removes these barriers so you can get the help you need right away. In many cases, people are able to attend more sessions and stay in treatment longer when attending virtually. 

• Finds medication that works for you 

Medication management may be included as part of vPHP, offering support while clients explore treatment options that could be helpful for them.

 Being in treatment sessions during the day gives you a high level of support while you’re trying new medications. 

Because you’re focusing on your emotions and working through your feelings, it may be easier to track how your medication is affecting you. You might start with one session with a staff psychiatrist each week and then reduce them as you start feeling better.

• Creates lasting change through comprehensive, personalized treatment 

Our licensed clinicians use a unique framework called Precision Care Model (PCM) to provide treatment that focuses on your present and the life you want to live. We combine evidence-based treatments to help you manage four core life processes: your thoughts, feelings, behaviors and relationships.

Find out if Virtual PHP at Lightfully can help you manage your recurrent depression

Recurrent major depressive disorder requires a treatment approach as persistent and comprehensive as the condition itself. It takes strength and self-awareness to seek out the help you need. Learning about your options is an important first step, so you’re already on the right track. 

At Lightfully, we take the time to get to know our clients as individuals first. Our licensed clinicians know that treatment is more successful when people feel seen and understood in the treatment planning process. We want to help you put a proactive plan in place to care for your mental health and help you feel empowered to use your new skills.

Are you considering Virtual PHP for your recurrent major depressive disorder? We can help. Reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team today.