:: Singapore Psychiatric Association ::

Learning About Depression

Depression: Symptoms And Signs | Causes of Depression | Depression Treatments
Depression Checklist | Myths And Facts About Depression

Depression Treatment

Most people with depression can get help from treatment. For most people, spotting depression early and getting it treated might cut down on how long and how serious the depression is.

Depression Treatment Options

The most common treatments are antidepressant medicines, "talk" therapy, or a combination of both. You and your doctor can work together to decide on the right depression treatment for you.

Studies show that antidepressants have been effective in treating depression. A type of medicine called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is most often prescribed by doctors.

In "talk" therapy, the patient and therapist talk about the patient's experiences, relationships, events, and feelings. Two of the approaches found to be effective for treating depression are interpersonal therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

Interpersonal Therapy

This approach looks at the patients' personal relationships that both cause depression and make it worse.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This approach helps people learn how to get more fulfillment through their own actions. The person is shown how to unlearn the patterns in his or her behavior that add to, or are a result of, the depression.

Talking about the difficult areas in life and trying to work them out is very valuable and can reveal some of the reasons behind the depression. Working with a caring therapist can help you find better ways of dealing with your problems.

Phases of Depression Treatment

These are the three phases of Depression Treatment.

Treatment Phase 1	Treatment Phase 2	Treatment Phase 3
Acute Phase During the acute phase, the person starts taking medication, the symptoms of depression start becoming less severe and the person begins to feel better. If a moderate improvement isn't seen in the following 6 to 8 weeks after starting medication, treatment might need to be adjusted. This phase lasts for the first 6 to 16 weeks that a person is taking an antidepressant.	Continuation Phase During this phase, the person continues to take medication to prevent depression symptoms from coming back. This phase lasts for 16 to 20 weeks after the symptoms first subside. In general, the person will keep taking depression medication at the same dose during this phase. The person shouldn't stop taking an antidepressant without talking to a doctor.	Maintenance Phase The purpose of this phase is to prevent another episode of depression. In this phase, treatment that was effective during the acute and continuation phase should be used. How long this phase lasts depends on the person's medical history and on the advice of a doctor or other healthcare professional.

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