Coping with Treatment-Resistant Depression
It takes great strength to come forward about
your depression and seek help. So, imagine the feeling of despair when the help
you so desperately need isn’t working.
Ultimately, the thought of not finding relief from depression can exacerbate your symptoms making you feel worse. Though most people diagnosed with depression can be treated with common solutions like antidepressants and therapy, for others, the journey to healing may be more extensive.
Ultimately, the thought of not finding relief from depression can exacerbate your symptoms making you feel worse. Though most people diagnosed with depression can be treated with common solutions like antidepressants and therapy, for others, the journey to healing may be more extensive.
Treatment-Resistant Depression
There are some patients who suffer from
depression that, despite their efforts to obtain treatment, don’t find any
relief. Ideally, you may have treatment-resistant depression if you’ve tried
two different types of antidepressants with no relief to your symptoms and/or
have been attending therapy regularly for several months with no improvement.
The good news, however, is that while it may seem hopeless, there are other
ways to help you find depression relief.
Solutions for Treatment-Resistant Depression
If your doctor or therapist has determined that
your depression is resistant to the current treatment, they will consider
certain factors and ask questions so they can make a more informed
recommendation for treatment. Whether the right thing is to increase your
antidepressant dosage, change your eating habits, try a new therapist, or seek depression help in LA, these factors listed
below play a huge role in what your doctor may recommend.
Your Life
If your mental illness isn’t getting better it
could be because you haven’t created a lifestyle that will help to ease the
mental strain. A therapist may ask questions about your lifestyle to see if
there are things that could be triggering your depression. If you work in a
hostile environment, have a lot of drama at home, struggle with your finances,
etc. They will try to work with you to find ways to reduce the emotional strain
in these areas of your life to improve your mood and reduce or eliminate
symptoms of depression.
Medications
Your doctor will likely review the list of
medications and supplements you’re presently taking to see what the side
effects are. Believe it or not, there are some medications that can heighten
your depression symptoms. They will also ask questions about your current
antidepressants. They’ll want to know how you feel when you take them, if you
take them as prescribed, and if there was any relief. Based on the answers to
these questions they may recommend a different prescription.
Your Therapist
Much like medications can be trial and error, so
can finding the right therapist to help you treat your depression. If you’ve
been seeing a therapist for more than 2-6 months with no real resolve, it may
be that you’re not connecting deep enough to open up and get to the core of
your depression. Your doctor may recommend that you go see a different
therapist that uses methods you feel comfortable with.
Bad Habits
Though it is very common for people suffering
from depression to turn to bad habits like drinking alcohol, using drugs, and
overeating, in an effort to find temporary relief, the truth is, they only make matters worse. Your doctor will ask
if you indulge in any of these bad habits and make a determination as to
whether you may have a co-occurring disease (depression and addiction). If so,
it may be necessary for you to go to a rehab facility to learn how to overcome
abuse and addiction simultaneously.
Physical Health
Another factor that could be contributing to the
ineffectiveness of your depression treatment is your physical health. There are
certain conditions that can make getting past depression a lot more difficult.
This would be the case if you suffer from thyroid problems, heart issues, or a
condition that causes chronic pain. If you do have any of these physical health
problems your doctor will work on a progressive plan to try and treat this
condition which, in turn, should make your depression treatment more
effective.
Depression is life-altering. So, it’s only
natural to feel like all hope is lost when the very things that are supposed to help you are having little
to no impact. Don’t be discouraged, however, as there are a number of factors
that could be contributing to the ineffectiveness of your depression treatment.
Simply talk with your doctor and be open and honest so you can find a
combination of solutions that work best for you.
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