A huge government study shows that half of all people eliminated their symptoms of depression by taking antidepressants, but many of those people had to combine drugs or try multiple treatments before having success.
Another quarter of those studied showed improvement on drugs. Results often took six to 12 weeks, which is longer than doctors expected. Many patients give up on antidepressants much faster than that if they don’t see results or have bad side effects. Three thousand people were treated in the study; they had been depressed an average of 16 years each.
About 15 million Americans are said to be depressed and about 30,000 suicides annually are blamed on depression.
The news here is that if you are depressed and seeking conventional drug treatments, don’t give up hope because the first drug doesn’t work or it doesn’t work right away. Know that with the help of your doctor you are likely to find a treatment that works for you.
Half of all clinically depressed people get no treatment. Non-prescription treatments for depression include therapy and herbal remedies. It’s important to talk to someone about how you feel, whether a doctor, a naturopath or a trusted friend.
(Source: LA Times).