What is the Most Effective Treatment for Depression?

Everyone wants to know "what is the best depression treatment for me?" The answer is below.

Gold Standard for Treating Depression (part 3)

Depression is considered a physiological illness caused by imbalanced brain chemicals. As with other physiological illnesses, medications are usually the first line of treatment. As clearly shown by a recent government study explained below, antidepressants are the number one choice for the successful management of depression for those who can tolerate antidepressants. This is an important distinction, as some people find the side-effects intolerable or do not get total relief from medications. This does not mean that antidepressants are the only treatment, or that they cannot or should not be combined with therapy and other lifestyle changes, but it does show that people with depression that does not lessen with time should at least try antidepressants first.

Initial Treatment of Depression May or May Not Work

For some people with depression, an initial treatment with the correct antidepressant can offer immediate and often permanent relief from the illness. For others, initial treatment with antidepressants is not as successful as the medications may only help with some of the symptoms, do not work at all, or have significant side-effects.

Recent research from a government study called the Star*D research project suggests that even when a person does not have an optimum response to his or her initial treatment, by improving the way medications are prescribed, significant relief is possible. When the recommendations of this research are implemented and combined with proven psychotherapy techniques and lifestyle and behavior changes, significant reduction in symptoms and, in some cases, complete remission (the virtual absence of symptoms are possible.

video: Depression Treatment Interviews w/Julie Fast