Treatment options for moderate or severe depression
In general, moderate depression means that you have several of the symptoms listed above, and you find great difficulty in coping with normal activities. Severe depression is even worse. In these situations, a doctor may suggest one or more of the following.
Antidepressant medicines
Antidepressants are usually the first-line treatment for moderate or severe depression. A medicine cannot alter your circumstances. However, symptoms such as low mood, poor sleep, poor concentration, etc, are often eased with an antidepressant. This may then allow you to function normally, and increase your ability to deal with any problems or difficult circumstances.
Antidepressants do not usually work straight away. It takes 2-4 weeks before their effect builds up fully.
A common problem is that some people stop the medicine after a week or so as they feel that it is doing no good. You need to give it time. Also, if it is helping, follow the course that a doctor recommends. A normal course of antidepressants lasts up to six months or more after symptoms have eased. Some people stop treatment too early and the depression quickly returns.
There are several types of antidepressants, each with various 'pros and cons'. For example, they differ in their possible side-effects. (The leaflet that comes in the medicine packet provides a full list of possible side-effects.) If the first one that you try does not suit, then another may be found that will suit. So, tell your doctor if you have any problems with an antidepressant. Antidepressants are not tranquillisers and are not thought to be addictive.
About 5-7 in 10 people with moderate or severe depression improve within a few weeks of starting treatment with a prescribed antidepressant. However, up to 3 in 10 people improve with dummy tablets (placebo) as some people would have improved in this time naturally. So, you are roughly twice as likely to improve with antidepressants compared to taking no treatment. But, they do not work in everybody.
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Where to next?
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What are the treatment options for depression?
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Depression: Help and advice
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More about light therapy for SAD
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Seasonal affective disorder and how to fight it
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Some particular features of SAD
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Under the microscope: Depression
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What are the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder?
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What is seasonal affective disorder?
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Who gets Seasonal Affective Disorder?
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sarah worby, about 1 year
I suffer from major depression and have done for the past 10years i have tryed lot,s of different one,s but not yet found one that,s work,s for me i am now on venlaxor xl 150mg one a day i have been on that dose for about 7week,s now and thay do,nt work the doctor,s sayed that dose i,m on is the max i can have but i now that thay can go up to 225mg a day.I am very depressed right now and have self hamed lastnight and i have though about killing myself by jumping of a high building.I self harm to take away the pain inside that i,ve lived with since my dad left and that was when i was 10years old and i,m now 31years old.I do,nt now what to do i,v had enough of feeling like this HELP......
Report this commentsarah worby, about 1 year
I have sufferd from depression for about 10 year,s and have been on lot,s of different tablet,s and have,nt found one that work,s.I have overdosed more times than i can count and self harmed.I havent overdosed for about 2year,s but i still self harm the last time i self harmed was lastnight i just feel very depressed and when i cut myself it takes some of the pain away.it feel,s like no one is beliveing me when i say how i,m feeling.I want the doctor to put my tablet,s up but all thay keep saying is give them time but i have been i this dose for about 7week,s.I do,nt now what to do or where to turn.I have though about jumping of a high building to end it all then all the pain i feel will go.
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sarah, about 1 year
where can i get some help from i though this was for peaple with depression and wanted some help if that,s the case why wont someone help me
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