Depression Treatment Options

Once you have a depression diagnosis, your doctor will discuss the different depression treatment options with you. The kind of depression treatment that’s best for you depends on the type of depression you have. For example, some patients with clinical depression are prescribed antidepressants. Others are prescribed antidepressants and psychotherapy. Still others may undergo electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also called electroshock therapy. This treatment may be used with patients who do not respond to standard depression treatment options

Whatever depression treatment your doctor prescribes, it’s important to understand that there are no “instant” solutions. You may have to try several antidepressants to find the most effective drug for you. In addition, you’ll have to take the antidepressant for several weeks to see if it benefits you at all. Being patient is important. Trust your doctor to know your personal history. With that, he or she can find the best depression treatment options that help improve your mood.

What are depression medicines?

Depression medicines include many types of antidepressants and other mood stabilizers. They can help lift your mood and ease the sadness and hopelessness you feel. You’ll need to work with your doctor to find the depression medicine that is most effective with the fewest side effects.

For in-depth information, see WebMD’s Depression Medicines.

How do antidepressants work to end depression?

It’s thought that three chemical messengers are involved with depression. The three are norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters transmit electrical signals between brain cells.

Researchers agree that if there is a chemical imbalance in these brain chemicals, then clinical states of depression result. Antidepressant medications work by increasing the availability of neurotransmitters or by changing the sensitivity of the receptors for these chemical messengers. It is believed that modifying these brain chemicals can help improve emotions.

What types of antidepressants help treat depression?

There are several types of antidepressants. These depression medications are also used to treat conditions that have depression as a component of the disease. For example, they might be used to treat bipolar disorder.

These drugs improve symptoms of depression. The major types of antidepressants include:

• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). TCAs primarily affect the levels of two chemical messengers in the brain, norepinephrine and serotonin. Although these drugs are effective in treating depression, they can have more side effects than other drugs. So they typically aren't the first drugs used. 
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). MAOIs are most effective in people with depression who do not respond to other treatments. They are also effective for treating other mental illnesses. Substances in certain foods like cheese, beverages like wine, and medications can interact with an MAOI. So people taking this medication must adhere to strict dietary restrictions. For this reason these antidepressants also aren't usually the first drugs used. 
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs are a newer form of antidepressant. These drugs work by altering the amount of a chemical in the brain called serotonin.
• Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). SNRIs are another newer form of antidepressant medicine. They treat depression by increasing availability of the brain chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine.