Many people and agencies claim to have treatments and cures for anxiety and depression. Scientists and mental health professionals judge the quality of a treatment using the scientific method, a systematic way of gaining knowledge by gathering and evaluating observable evidence. Getting the best treatment for anxiety or depression involves consulting with professionals to choose an option based on the best available scientific evidence regarding efficacy, risks and benefits.
Step 1
Seek help immediately for thoughts of suicide or harm. If the symptoms of depression or anxiety become unbearable, call the National Suicide Hotline, which is available 24 hours a day, visit a local crisis center or check in with a hospital or walk-in clinic. These resources help people through the toughest and most painful times and provide a safe environment for recovery.
Step 2
Speak with a licensed health care professional about treatment options. These professionals include primary care physicians, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, psychologists and mental health counselors. Many websites--such as “FindaPsychologist.org” or the websites of various health insurance companies--can make finding a provider easy. After settling on a professional, check their credentials. Do they possess a degree from a reputable organization? In addition, ask them about their comfort with treating depression or anxiety and about the latest available scientific research.
Step 3
Decide in collaboration with a professional between the evidence-based treatment options: medication, psychotherapy or a combination of the two. Research--such as a study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" in 2004--has shown that prescription antidepressant medication can effectively treat the symptoms of depression. This same study also found that psychotherapy--or “talk therapy”--can work with roughly the same efficacy as antidepressant medication and concluded that a combination of the two may work best for some people.
Step 4
Reassess and evaluate the treatment at regular intervals. Different practitioners approach treatment in different ways, such as with different antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication or with different kinds of psychotherapy. According to a study published in the "Journal of Counseling Psychology" in 1991, the relationship between the client and therapist helps to predict whether psychotherapy treatment will work. Ask the practitioner questions about her approach to treatment and tell them whether or not it feels right.
Step 5
Avoid treatments that have not undergone rigorous scientific study. Various websites and drugstores may sell or promote products such as herbal or vitamin supplements to treat anxiety or depression that have not demonstrated the same kind of efficacy as prescription medication or psychotherapy. According to MayoClinic.com, these alternatives can be risky, as they are often unregulated. Consulting the scientific literature or a mental health professional remains the best way to obtain the best treatments for depression and anxiety.
References
- "The Journal of the American Medical Association"; Fluoxetine, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and their combination for adolescents with depression; March, J., et al; 2004
- “Journal of Counseling Psychology”; Relation between a working alliance and outcome in psychotherapy: A Meta Analysis; Adam Horvath, Ed.D. & Dianne Symonds, Ph.D.; 1991
- Mayo Clinic: Alternative Medicine
