There are many forms of depression, the most common being major depressive and dysthymic disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Regardless of the type of depression one suffers from, it is a serious illness requiring treatment with medications, therapy or a combination of the two.
Antidepressants
A variety of antidepressants exist to help relieve the symptoms of depression. As the Mayo Clinic explains, each are categorized by how they affect the chemicals in your brain. In general, these medications help restore the natural balance of certain chemicals--usually serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine--in the brain, thus regulating mood.
The newest and most popular antidepressants, according to NIMH, are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), drugs that restore balance to the chemical serotonin. The Mayo Clinic adds that most doctors begin treatment with these drugs because they are considered safer, generally causing fewer bothersome side effects than other antidepressants. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) restore balance to both serotonin and norepinephrine, rather than serotonin alone.
Tricyclics are the oldest antidepressant still in use, providing the same level of effectiveness as the newer drugs, according to the Mayo Clinic. In most cases however, this medication is only prescribed if no improvement is seen in your condition with an SSRI or SNRI. This is because of the severity, and number of, side effects tricyclics cause.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are typically prescribed as a last resort due to the harmful side effects they cause. Patients taking this medication must adhere to a strict diet due to the dangerous--sometimes deadly--food interactions it can cause.
NIMH explains that not every mediation works for every patient, and it may take more than one attempt to find the right drug--or combination of drugs--that work for you. In addition, it usually takes three to four weeks before the medication reaches a therapeutic level.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, may be short or long term; it all depends on the needs of the patient. There are two main types of psychotherapy: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT).
During CBT, the patient learns new ways of thinking and behaving by changing any negative thoughts and behaviors that may contribute to his depression. IPT focuses more on unhealthy relationships the patient may have that contribute or worsen his condition. NIMH explains that IPT helps the patient understand these relationships and work through them in an effort to remedy his depression.
In some cases, it may be necessary to combine medication and psycotherpay to achieve the most effective outcome. This is especially true in adolescents, as combination treatment may help reduce the likelihood of depression recurrence, according to NIMH.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
The Mayo Clinic and NIMH explains that ECT is a last resort treatment for those who do not respond to medications and/or psychotherapy, or who are at high risk for committing suicide. While effective for treating and providing immediate relief of severe depression, ECT has a bad reputation, being known as "shock therapy." As NIMH states, however, its reputation has improved over the years.
Prior to administration, the patient is given a muscle relaxant and goes under anaesthesia for a brief period of time. Electrical currents then pass through the brain, and while it is not known exactly how ECT relieves the symptoms of depression, the Mayo Clinic states that it may affect the neurotransmitters in the brain.
The number of ECT sessions depends on the needs of the patient. Some require multiple sessions throughout the week, others need only a few sessions, and yet others begin with one session per week and gradually decrease to monthly sessions over the course of a year.
The Mayo Clinic states that confusion is the most common side effect, and can last a few minutes to several hours. Memory loss is another possibility, yet NIMH notes that these side effects typically dissipate shortly after treatment.
