How Depression is Treated

Depression is treated in a variety of ways, usually starting with psychotherapy and first line antidepressant medications. If these therapies do not work, patients must often resort to other antidepressants to treat their depression.

In 2010, the American Psychiatric Association released revised practice guidelines for the treatment of depression.

Beyond psychotherapy, typical first line depression treatments include antidepressant medications known as SSRIs, DNRIs or SNRIs. These medications are thought to work by regulating the amount of neurotransmitters (or chemical messengers) in the brain. Because antidepressant drugs circulate throughout the body in the blood stream, they may result in unwanted side effects.

For some people, first line antidepressant drugs are not effective and other options need to be considered:

Patients can be switched to a different type of antidepressant medication (such as an MAOI or TCA)
Patients may have another medication, such as lithium or thyroid supplement, added to their current antidepressant medication
Patients may have an atypical antipsychotic medication added to their antidepressant medication.

These additional treatments can also result in additional unwanted side effects.

For patients who have not benefited from first line antidepressant treatments, a new approach is available. NeuroStar TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) Therapy offers a proven, non-drug treatment for depression when initial antidepressant medication has failed.*

Learn more about the benefits of NeuroStar TMS Therapy

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*NeuroStar TMS Therapy^® is an FDA-cleared, non-drug treatment for patients with depression who have not benefitted from one prior antidepressant medication. NeuroStar TMS Therapy is available by prescription only. Only a doctor can help decide if NeuroStar TMS Therapy is right for you.
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How Depression is Treated