Treatment FAQ

which treatment approach is most effective for clinical depression

by Walker Stiedemann Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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  • Several studies suggest, however, that the combination of an antidepressant and psychotherapy is the best approach, because of the complex mix of causes of mood disorders like depression. ...
  • Cognitive therapy is usually short-term and goal-focused.
Dec 7, 2020

What medicine works best for extreme or clinical depression?

 · The most effective treatment for depression: Methods, results, and conclusions. After an initial examination of nearly 20,000 abstracts, the authors chose 2,323 papers for further evaluation.

How to cure clinical depression?

 · Researchers have determined recently that cognitive behavioral therapy seems to be the most consistently helpful approach to treating depression.

How do you cure depression without medication?

 · These include: Exercise: Exercise can help reduce depression symptoms, especially in addition to medication. Keep in mind exercise can... Healthy diet: A healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables may help with depressive symptoms. It’s especially important... Sleep: Most people with depression have ...

What is clinical depression and how is it treated?

 · It has been suggested that SSRIs are more effective than primarily noradrenergic antidepressants (eg, maprotiline) in reducing irritability/aggression and anxious symptoms. …

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Which form of therapy is most effective for major depression?

Studies have shown that cognitive therapy is an effective treatment for depression and is comparable in effectiveness to antidepressants and interpersonal or psychodynamic therapy. The combination of cognitive therapy and antidepressants has been shown to effectively manage severe or chronic depression.

What are the most effective treatments for clinical depression?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), and sertraline (Zoloft). These are usually the first-choice medications for depression.

What are the two most common treatments for clinical depression?

There are many types of therapy available. Three of the more common methods used in depression treatment include cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. Often, a blended approach is used.

Which psychological approach is best for depression?

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) CBT is one of the most effective treatments for depression, and has been found to be useful for a wide range of ages, including children, adolescents, adults and older people.

What is the first line treatment for depression?

Consider sertraline and escitalopram as first-line agents for initial treatment of major depression in adults. The least tolerated antidepressants in this study were bupropion, fluoxetine, paroxetine, and duloxetine.

What kind of therapy is used for depression?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, helps an individual identify and change negative thoughts and associated behaviors. People who suffer from depression often struggle with negative thought patterns.

Can CBT treat depression?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most evidence-based psychological interventions for the treatment of several psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorder, and substance use disorder.

What is the purpose of ECT?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a medical treatment most commonly used in patients with severe major depression or bipolar disorder that has not responded to other treatments. ECT involves a brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anesthesia.

What does CBT focus on?

Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on changing the automatic negative thoughts that can contribute to and worsen emotional difficulties, depression, and anxiety. These spontaneous negative thoughts have a detrimental influence on mood.

How does the humanistic approach treat depression?

Humanistic approaches would look on depression as a disturbance in a person's ability to grow to their full potential. Every individual holds the key to their own ability to facilitate change given the right conditions for growth and self-actualisation.

Why is CBT used to treat depression?

CBT teaches you to become aware of and adjust negative patterns, which can help you reframe your thinking during moments of heightened anxiety or panic. It can also provide new coping skills, like meditation or journaling, for those struggling with a substance use disorder or depression.

Which psychotherapy is most effective?

Its clinical review of practice guidelines reports that CBT is “the most studied psychotherapy for depression,” and it has “the largest weight of evidence for its efficacy.” IPT has been shown to be “an effective treatment for depression in numerous studies.” The ADAA doesn't comment on psychodynamic therapies.

What is the latest treatment for depression?

On March 5, 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first new medication for major depression in decades. The drug is a nasal spray called esketamine, derived from ketamine—an anesthetic that has made waves for its surprising antidepressant effect.

What are the top 5 antidepressants?

Top 5 antidepressants to treat depressionCitalopram.Escitalopram.Fluoxetine.Fluvoxamine.Paroxetine.Sertraline.

How do you stabilize depression?

You should talk to your doctor or therapist to find the best approach to treating your depression. Many lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and getting enough sleep may help improve your symptoms.

What is the difference between clinical depression and normal depression?

Depression ranges in seriousness from mild, temporary episodes of sadness to severe, persistent depression. Clinical depression is the more-severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder.

Desi

Again, as has been noted in the past, this is not something that one size fits all for. Depression is something that varies so much from person to person, and what works for one person may or may not be the the right fix for another.

Tammy

History; medical, abuse, family, work, attendance all of these things because it will help to better understand what is going on exactly. For instance, it was always quickly assessed that I had major depressive issues taking me to the edge of suicide. I am 51 years old. I am a female that was never taken to the doctor unless I was dying.

What is major depressive disorder?

Depression is a serious mood disorder that can cause many symptoms, including feelings of numbness, emptiness, and sadness. It can cause withdrawal from normal activities and impact close relationships, school, and work.

What types of therapy can be used for depression?

Psychotherapy can be an essential part of treatment for major depression. It may be used on its own or together with antidepressant medication. Psychotherapy may help within a few weeks. Or, it can take longer depending on your situation.

What medications can be prescribed for depression?

There are many antidepressant medications to treat depression. You and your provider will work together to find a medication or combination of medications that reduce your symptoms. The types of medications used to treat depression include:

What natural treatments can help for major depressive disorder?

Some natural and over-the-counter supplements may help for depression. It’s important to note that while these may help some mild forms of depression, they likely will not be effective in treating major depression.

What lifestyle changes might help treat major depressive disorder?

There are some important lifestyle changes and daily habits that can help manage your depression symptoms. These include:

Where can you find healthcare providers for depression treatment?

If you think you may have depression, reach out to a healthcare provider. You can start with your primary care provider (PCP). They might be able to provide a referral to a qualified mental health professional.

The bottom line

Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions. It will likely impact you or someone you love at some point in your life. While it may be scary or overwhelming to seek help for depression, it’s important to know that many treatment options are available.

What type of therapy is effective for depression?

Different types of psychotherapy can be effective for depression, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy. Your mental health professional may also recommend other types of therapies. Psychotherapy can help you:

What is the best treatment for depression?

Medications and psychotherapy are effective for most people with depression. Your primary care doctor or psychiatrist can prescribe medications to relieve symptoms. However, many people with depression also benefit from seeing a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional.

How to deal with depression and change behaviors?

Identify negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with healthy, positive ones. Explore relationships and experiences, and develop positive interactions with others. Find better ways to cope and solve problems. Identify issues that contribute to your depression and change behaviors that make it worse.

Can you become addicted to antidepressants?

Antidepressants aren't considered addictive, but sometimes physical dependence (which is different from addiction) can occur. Stopping treatment abruptly or missing several doses can cause withdrawal-like symptoms, and quitting suddenly may cause a sudden worsening of depression.

What to do if you have severe depression?

If you have severe depression, you may need a hospital stay , or you may need to participate in an outpatient treatment program until your symptoms improve.

Does Mayo Clinic help with depression?

Our caring team of Mayo Clinic experts can help you with your depression (major depressive disorder)-related health concerns Start Here

What is the term for depression that begins a week before your period?

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder. This involves depression symptoms associated with hormone changes that begin a week before and improve within a few days after the onset of your period, and are minimal or gone after completion of your period. Other depression disorders.

What are the phases of depression?

Schematically, one may categorize the treatment of depression into three phases: acute, continuation, and maintenance.3,4As summarized in Table I, each phase is defined by specific aims and strategies. Some aspects remain under discussion, especially those concerning the appropriate duration of long-term treatment.

What are the most common sleep abnormalities in depression?

Many of the sleep abnormalities in depression also occur in other psychiatric disorders. The most characteristic alterations in the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) during major depression are a shortened latency to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and an increase in REM density. These changes might represent vulnerability markers. Recently it has been reported that the increased REM density was observed not only in depressed patients, but also in their healthy relatives who subsequently developed an affective disorder.50Furthermore, increased REM density has been found to be predictive for the occurrence of recurrences in follow-up and has been related to excessive stress hormone response in the DEX/CRH-test (owing to HPA axis overdrive).51This suggests that EEG and HPA disturbances may reflect important mechanisms responsible for causing and maintaining the disease process of depression.

Can bipolar depression be treated with TCAs?

Bipolar depressionalso requires specific strategies, since response to antidepressant treatment is often partial. Indeed, both TCAs and SSRIs are moderately efficacious in this population.19Moreover, manic switch may occur (substantially more often with TCAs [approximately 11%] than SSRIs [both approximately 4 %]20,21). Therefore, it is suggested to use a mood stabilizer (carbamazepine/oxcarbazepine, valproate, lithium carbonate, lamotrigine) as the first-line therapy at an optimal dose (and drug plasma concentration when available) and to add an antidepressant in case of partial/nonresponse. The recommended period of mood stabilizer monotherapy is 1 month4; it is also expected that the mood stabilizer treatment would prevent a switch into mania when an antidepressant is added. Recent trials suggest that SSRIs and SNRIs combined with atypical antipsychotics are also efficacious (for review see ref 22). Olanzapine and risperidone, for example, are now approved for maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder.

Can antipsychotics be used for psychotic depression?

However, some clinical features may lead to specific strategies. For example, psychotic depression,representing over 15% of severely depressed patients, generally does not respond favorably to antidepressant monotherapy. Initial studies have shown that tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) combined with typical antipsychotics have greater efficacy than TCAs alone.16More recently, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) combined with typical or atypical antipsychotics, have demonstrated efficacy in psychotic depression.17The antipsychotic medication can be tapered off and stopped when psychotic symptoms have subsided (generally after 1 to 3 months). Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), despite many drawbacks, remains indicated in some “refractory” cases.18

Can antidepressants be prescribed for depression?

It has been argued that all subtypes of depressive disorders may be an indication for antidepressants,12but the main “intuitive” criteria for prescribing antidepressants remains the severity of the depressive symptoms (eg, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HDRS] score >18). Indeed, some investigators have concluded that there is no evidence for greater effectiveness of a standard reference treatment (ie, imipramine plus clinical management) versus brief psychotherapies (interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy) or placebo plus clinical management for the less severely depressed and functionally impaired outpatients.13On the other hand, greater depression severity at baseline generally predicts a poorer response to pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy.14,15

How do you know if you are depressed?

Typical symptoms of depression include depressed mood, diminished interest or pleasure (anhedonia), feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, decrease in appetite and libido, insomnia, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide (in about half of patients). Up to 15% of patients with severe depression die from suicide.9Suicidal risk should be assessed not only at the initiation of the treatment, but repeatedly throughout treatment (typically this risk is increased during the first 2 weeks of treatment). In fact, it appears that the risk of suicide attempt does not differ among antidepressants, but the rate of death from overdose is higher with tricyclics (owing to their cardiotoxicity) than with nontricyclics.10This may have implications for the choice of an antidepressant for a depressed patient at risk for suicidal behavior. On the other hand, about half of suicide victims with major depression had received inadequate treatment.11

Is depression a heterogeneous disease?

Depression is both clinically and biologically a heterogeneous entity. Typically the course of the disease is recurrent - 75% of patients experience more than one episode of major depression within 10 years. Although most patients recover from major depressive episode, about 50% have an inadequate response to an individual antidepressant trial.5Moreover, a substantial proportion of patients (about 10%6) become chronic (ie, 2 years without clinical remission) which then leads to severe and cognitive functional impairment as well as psychosocial disability.7Therefore, the assertion that the clinical efficacy of antidepressants is comparable between the classes and within the classes of those medications8may be true from a statistical viewpoint but is of limited value in practice. For a given patient, antidepressant drugs may produce differences in therapeutic response and tolerability.

What is the best therapy for depression?

There are different types of talking therapies for depression, including cognitive behavioural therapy ( CBT) and counselling.

What is the treatment for depression?

Antidepressants are medicines that treat the symptoms of depression. There are many different types of antidepressant. They have to be prescribed by a doctor, usually for depression that's moderate or severe.

Why is mindfulness important for depression?

Mindfulness is recommended by NICE as a way of preventing depression in people who have had 3 or more bouts of depression in the past. Read more about mindfulness.

What is the best antidepressant for a major depressive episode?

Vortioxetine (Brintellix or Lundbeck) is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for treating adults who are having a first or recurrent major depressive episode, if the current episode has not responded to 2 other antidepressants.

Can you talk to a GP about depression?

See a GP for more information about accessing NHS talking treatments. They can refer you for local talking treatments for depression. You also have the option of self-referral. This means that if you prefer not to talk to a GP, you can go directly to a psychological therapies service.

How to help someone with depression?

You could talk to a friend or relative, or you could ask a GP or local psychological therapies service if there are any self-help groups for people with depression in your area. You could try self- help books or online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Does exercise help with depression?

There's evidence that exercise can help depression, and it's one of the main treatments for mild depression. You may be referred to a group exercise class. Find out more about walking for health and exercise for depression.

How long does a person with depression need to be treated?

Thus the full course of treatment may last from 3 to 6 months, and longer in some cases if needed . The APA recommends that those with a long history of depression continue to receive therapy on an ongoing basis, often with a reduction in frequency of sessions.

How long does a depression treatment last?

Thus the full course of treatment may last from 3 to 6 months, and longer in some cases if needed. The APA recommends that those with a long history of depression continue to receive therapy on an ongoing basis, often with a reduction in frequency of sessions.

Is mental health treatment cheap?

Good treatment is not cheap, and the cost varies greatly depending on several factors: Insurance coverage. Many mental health professionals practice outside of insurance networks because of the low payments in-network providers must agree to and the administrative burden, among other factors.

Does CBT help with depression?

But a more accurate statement would be, "More severe depression requires both medication and therapy." A meta-analysisthat compared CBT+meds to meds alone found a fairly large advantage for the combined group, suggesting that, in general, adding CBT to medication leads to greater benefit.

Is depression a generic drug?

The vast majority of drugs used to treat depression are available in generic form, making them much more affordable than brand- name medication. Insurance coverage might also vary depending on the drug, which can greatly affect the cost of treatment. Length of treatment.

Is depression still widely believed?

Nevertheless, this explanation infused our collective understanding of depression and other psychiatricconditions, so much so that it's still widely believed.

Is CBT a serious treatment?

Thus treatments like cognitive behavioraltherapy (CBT) were considered to be possibly useful additions to medication, but not serious treatments in their own right (except perhaps for brief, mild forms of depression).

What is the most effective treatment for depression?

Findings tell us that the most effective therapies for clinical depression are therapies that aim to teach skills rather than merely attempt to ‘uncover’ origins of and reasons for depression. The most effective therapies are those that are ‘solution-focussed’ that is they seek to alleviate suffering and teach skills which can prevent future ...

What is the best therapy for depression?

Therapy that works for depression, and therapy that doesn't 1 Cognitive therapy looks at how we think and interpret events in our lives. 2 Behavioral therapy looks at what we do. 3 Interpersonal therapy looks at how we relate to others and how good our communication styles are.

Does paralysis by analysis worsen depression?

This type of therapy has been said to cause 'Paralysis by Analysis', and will often worsen depression. Unfortunately, many doctors, therapists and counselors are unaware of this.

What is psychodynamic therapy?

So called psychoanalytical therapies or ‘psycho-dynamic’ approaches which attempt to ‘go back’ and discover reasons for things - focussing on what went wrong rather than building on resources are contraindicated for depression and several therapists in the USA have been successfully sued for using this approach for depression.

What is cognitive therapy?

Cognitive therapy looks at how we think and interpret events in our lives. Behavioral therapy looks at what we do. Interpersonal therapy looks at how we relate to others and how good our communication styles are. These are all skills based therapies and have been shown to be effective with treating clinical depression.

Does therapy work for depression?

Therapy that works for depression, and therapy that doesn't. Well over one hundred thousand separate pieces of research have been carried out into what depression is and the most effective methods for treating it. Findings tell us that the most effective therapies for clinical depression are therapies that aim to teach skills rather ...

How many different types of psychotherapy are there?

There are well over 400 different types of psychotherapy on offer for clinical depression. This can be confusing to say the least.

What is depression in primary care?

Depression is one of the most common and disabling chronic health problems encountered in the primary care setting. In this article, opportunities and strategies to improve care for depression in primary care practice are reviewed and collaborative care, an evidence-based approach to chronic disease management for depression is introduced. In this approach, primary care providers (PCPs) and care managers look after a caseload of depressed patients with systematic support from mental health experts. Lessons from implementing evidence-based collaborative care programs in diverse primary care practice settings are summarized to convey relatively simple changes that can improve patient outcomes in primary care practices.

What is collaborative care for depression?

Over the past 15 years, more than 40 randomized controlled trials have established a robust evidence base for an approach called ‘collaborative care for depression’83-85. More recent studies have documented the effectiveness of such collaborative approaches for anxiety disorders 86and for depression and comorbid medical disorders such as diabetes and heart disease 87. In such programs, primary care providers are part of a collaborative care team that a depression care manager (usually a nurse or clinical social worker and in some cases a trained medical assistant under supervision from a mental health provider) and a designated psychiatric consultant to augment the management of depression in the primary care setting. The depression care manager supports medication management prescribed by PCPs through patient education, close and pro-active follow-up, and brief, evidence-based psychosocial treatments such as behavioral activation or problem solving treatment in primary care. The care manager may also facilitate referrals to additional services as needed. A designated psychiatric consultant regularly (usually weekly) reviews all patients in the care manager's caseload who are not improving as expected and provides focused treatment recommendations to the patient's PCP. The psychiatric consultant is also available to the care manager and the PCP for questions about patients.83, 88-90Table 1summarizes key roles and tasks of the two new team members, the depression care manager and the psychiatric consultant.

How to improve mental health care?

Although well intended, these efforts have by and large not been effective in reducing the substantial burden of depression and other common mental disorders in primary care.81Another approach to improve care for patients with depression is to co-locate mental health specialists into primary care clinics. Having a mental health professional such as a psychologist, a clinical social worker, or a psychiatrist available to see patients in primary care can improve access to mental health services but there is little evidence that such co-location of a behavioral health provider in primary care by itself is sufficient to improve patient outcomes for large populations of primary care patients.82

How many medications have been approved for depression?

Over 25 medications have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of major depression and there is strong and increasing evidence about the effectiveness of psychotherapies that can be delivered in primary care or specialty mental health care settings 58-60. A number of guidelines have been developed to guide the effective management of depression in primary care 61and in specialty mental health settings.62These guidelines succinctly summarize the evidence-base for pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment options. If nonpharmacologic treatments are available, PCPs should ask patients who are initiating depression treatment about preferences for medications or psychotherapy because the ability to address a patient's treatment preference has been shown to be related to the likelihood of entering depression treatment 63and better treatment outcomes 64. Patients’ clinical outcomes should be tracked with structured depression rating scales, such as the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), similar to the way primary care providers follow clinical outcomes of other treatments such as blood pressures or blood lipids. Treatments should be systematically adjusted for patients who do not improve with initial treatments using evidence-based medication treatments and/or psychotherapies. The flowchart in Figure 1summarizes a comprehensive guideline for the treatment of major depression in primary care developed by the Institute of Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI).65

Is depression a primary care problem?

Depression is one of the most common mental health problems encountered in primary care and a leading cause of disability worldwide. In many cases, depression is a chronic or recurring disease, and as such, it is best managed like a chronic illness. Moreover, medically ill patients with depressive disorder are at greater risk for a chronic course of depression or less complete recovery. Antidepressant medications and psychotherapies can help many if not most depressed individuals, but millions of primary care patients do not receive effective treatment. Effective management of depression in the primary care setting requires a systematic, population-based approach which entails systematic case finding and diagnosis, patient engagement and education, use of evidence-based treatments including medications and / or psychotherapy, close follow-up to make sure patients are improving and a commitment to keep adjusting treatments or consult with mental health specialists until depression is significantly improved. Programs in which primary care providers and mental health specialists collaborate effectively using principles of measurement-based stepped care and treatment to target can substantially improve patients’ health and functioning while reducing overall health care costs.

Is depression underdiagnosed in primary care?

Depression in primary care is underdetected, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. Older adults, men, patients with medical comorbidities, and patients from ethnic minority groups are at particularly high risk of not being recognized as depressed or treated effectively.50-54The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued recommendations, encouraging primary care physicians to routinely screen their adult patients for depression in clinical settings that have systems in place to assure effective treatment and follow up 55.

What is the most studied psychotherapy for depression?

The most studied psychotherapy for depression, CBT has the largest weight of evidence for its efficacy. Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a structured and brief intervention addressing social issues that maintain depression. It can be administered in individual or group formats. It is short-term and problem-focused.

How effective is interpersonal therapy for depression?

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) has proved effective in pediatric depression; focusing on helping individuals decrease interpersonal conflicts by teaching them interpersonal problem-solving skills and helping them modify communication patterns. Psychotherapy seems to be more effective for youth ages 12 to 18 years.

Is venlafaxine a third line treatment?

An alternative SSRI; to date, non-SSRI antidepressants have not been shown to be effective for acute treatment of youth with depression. Non-SSRIs (venlafaxine, duloxetine, bupropion, mirtazapine) could be considered a third -line treatment ; they may be effective in youth with treatment-refractory depression.

Is fluoxetine a pharmacologic treatment?

Youth with moderate to severe depression could be candidates for pharmacologic treatment. (In mild cases, psychotherapy may be considered first-line treatment.) Fluoxetine and escitalopram are the only FDA-approved antidepressants for adolescents; fluoxetine is the only FDA-approved antidepressant for preadolescents.

What are the factors that determine the selection of an antidepressant?

Antidepressant selection should be individualized based on clinical factors, including symptom profile, comorbidity, tolerability profile, previous response, potential drug-drug interactions, patient preference, and cost. No antidepressant has been clearly shown to be superior to another; all FDA-approved antidepressant medications should be considered potentially appropriate for first-line treatment.#N#Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and#N#noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), bupropion, mirtazapine, and several newer agents are typically used as first-line medications because their safety and tolerability may be preferable to patients and clinicians compared to those of tricyclic antidepressants#N#(TCAs) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors.#N#Mirtazapine and other mixed-target medications can be particularly useful in depression associated with insomnia and weight loss due to side effects of sedation and increased appetite. Bupropion’s mixed effects on monoamines (including dopamine) may be helpful for patients with lethargy and increased appetite. Bupropion has also shown promise for attention-deficit disorder, nicotine addiction and several appetitive disorders.

What is cognitive behavioral therapy?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective as a monotherapy in depression in youth. CBT focuses on identifying. cognitive distortions that may lead to depressed mood and also utilizes problem -solving, behavior activation, and emotion-regulation skills to help manage and combat depression.

Is PST a short term treatment?

It is short-term and problem-focused. Shown to be an effective treatment for depression in numerous studies. Problem-solving therapy (PST) teaches to define personal problems, develop multiple solutions, identify the best one and implement it, then assess its effectiveness.

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Diagnosis

Treatment

  • Medications and psychotherapy are effective for most people with depression. Your primary care doctor or psychiatrist can prescribe medications to relieve symptoms. However, many people with depression also benefit from seeing a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional. If you have severe depression, you may need a hospital st...
See more on mayoclinic.org

Clinical Trials

  • Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
See more on mayoclinic.org

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

  • Depression generally isn't a disorder that you can treat on your own. But in addition to professional treatment, these self-care steps can help: 1. Stick to your treatment plan.Don't skip psychotherapy sessions or appointments. Even if you're feeling well, don't skip your medications. If you stop, depression symptoms may come back, and you could also experience withdrawal-lik…
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Alternative Medicine

  • Alternative medicine is the use of a nonconventional approach instead of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is a nonconventional approach used along with conventional medicine — sometimes called integrative medicine. Make sure you understand the risks as well as possible benefits if you pursue alternative or complementary therapy. Don't replace conventional medical …
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Coping and Support

  • Talk with your doctor or therapist about improving your coping skills, and try these tips: 1. Simplify your life.Cut back on obligations when possible, and set reasonable goals for yourself. Give yourself permission to do less when you feel down. 2. Write in a journal.Journaling, as part of your treatment, may improve mood by allowing you to express pain, anger, fear or other emotions. 3. …
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Preparing For Your Appointment

  • You may see your primary care doctor, or your doctor may refer you to a mental health professional. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.
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