There is treatment for resistant depression.
When a person has been diagnosed with depression but fails to respond to standard treatment, doctors say he has treatment-resistant depression. The patient may also have treatment-resistant depression if symptoms initially respond to treatment only to return again and again.
Misdiagnosis
Sometimes a person believed to be suffering from treatment-resistant depression doesn't really have depression at all but has been misdiagnosed. The patient may suffer from bipolar disorder or another mental illness instead, or she may have a physical problem like hypothyroidism. A thorough assessment is necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
Medication
People with treatment-resistant depression sometimes benefit from higher doses of antidepressant medications. Patients should discuss the appropriate dose with their doctors. Sometimes a combination of drugs works better than a single medication.
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) used to be known as shock therapy. It involves passing an electrical current through the brain, which causes a seizure. Doctors sometimes recommend ECT when medication therapy is not effective.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
This method of treatment involves a surgically implanted pulse generator that stimulates the area of the brain that affects mood. Doctors sometimes recommend it when other methods of treatment fail.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy alone may not be sufficient treatment for , but it is often useful in combination with other treatments. There are many different types of psychotherapy, and if one form of therapy is not effective, another form may be tried.
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