Treatments for Depression
A variety of effective treatments are available to help people with depression. The main types of treatment are antidepressant medicines and psychotherapies (or counseling). Some forms of depression may be treated with psychotherapy alone. Others require antidepressant drugs or a combination of drugs and counseling. Medicines bring symptom relief and help correct any underlying abnormalities of certain brain chemicals. Counseling can help you learn more effective ways to deal with depression and the factors that caused or triggered it.
Treatment involves the following:
There are no surgical options for the treatment of depression.
References:
Depression. National Institute of Mental Health. Available at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/depressionmenu.cfm. Accessed March 24, 2007.
Fochtmann LJ, Gelenberg AJ. Guideline Watch: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder. 2nd ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2005.
National Institute of Mental Health website. Available at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/.
Practice guidelines. American Psychiatric Association website. Available at: http://www.psych.org/psych_pract/treatg/pg/prac_guide.cfm. Accessed March 25, 2007.
Stern T, Rosenbaum J, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch S. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier; 2008.
Last reviewed September 2011 by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.