How Is Major Depression Treated?

Major Depression

The National Institutes of Health list major depression as a type of clinical depression where a patient has five or more symptoms for at least two weeks, though many cases tend to last more than six months. Symptoms of major depression include sleeping difficulties, appetite changes, fatigue, inappropriate guilt, concentration problems, irritability, inactivity, feeling hopeless and thoughts of death and suicide. Patients have many treatment options; usually, the patient will use a combination of treatments.

Psychotherapy

The first step of treating major depression is psychotherapy, where the depression patient works with a therapist. The therapy may be one-on-one or in a group situation. "Psychotherapy can help [the patient] regain a sense of happiness and control in [her] life and help alleviate depression symptoms, such as hopelessness and anger," the Mayo Clinic notes. In cognitive behavioral therapy, the therapist helps the patient identify her negative behaviors, and adopt positive behaviors. Over time, the patient learns how to cope in different situations.

Medication

Another treatment option for major depression is medication, such as antidepressants. "Most people find the best relief of depression symptoms by combining medications and psychotherapy," the Mayo Clinic says.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, prevent serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain, from being recycled through reuptake. Instead, the brain absorbs and uses more serotonin, thus improving the patient's mood. Other antidepressants, such as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) or norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs), work in a similar fashion, but also increase the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, which are other neurotransmitters linked to mood regulation. However, these medications do have side effects and the patient should talk with his doctor before beginning any medications.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Patients who do not respond to medication or who are high suicide risks may respond to electroconvulsive therapy.. "In electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), electrical currents are passed through the brain to trigger a seizure," notes the Mayo Clinic. While the exact mechanism of electroconvulsive therapy is not known, it may affect the neurotransmitters in the brain. Mood improvement is quick, and the main side effects are confusion and partial memory loss; however, neither of these symptoms last long.