Increased resistant depression or refractory depression generally does not respond to the usual pharmacological treatments, it is common for many of these patients to undergo a number of drug combinations or therapeutic approaches without achieving significant improvements, however, experience tells us that sooner or later we will achieve it. Find the treatment with which patients will begin to undergo positive changes.
The definition of this term, however curious, still raises many misunderstandings. The National Institute for Excellence in Health and Care (NICE), for example, says that diagnosing a person with resistant depression simply because it doesn’t show the expected course, after taking two types of antidepressants, is arbitrary.
- In addition.
- Organizations such as the British Psychopharmacology Association believe that this diagnosis should be made when the patient has tried different combinations of drugs without undergoing any changes.
Resistant major depression is often one of the most complex in terms of diagnosis and treatment: it is common for many patients to lose hope and stop relying on healthcare professionals.
As we see, to date there is still no clear consensus on the subject, however, what we can see is that about 30% of patients diagnosed with major depression do not experience improvement, so many professionals are forced to re-evaluate the diagnosis. for a very obvious fact: sometimes there can be unidentified underlying disorders. Let’s go a little further in this reality.
It must be made clear that depression is treatable, whatever its typology, we are dealing with a type of multifactorial disorder that requires several strategies to be overcome: pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, social, etc.
With a higher resistant depression the same thing happens, however, in these cases you only have to be constant and persistent to find the most effective treatments, so that the person (that patient who suffers from the indescribable) experiences improvement. you need.
On the other hand, it should not be forgotten that antidepressants, taken in appropriate doses and for a minimum of 6 weeks, usually offer proven efficacy, but when this does not happen, when the patient realizes that their discomfort is still there, installs and devouring it inside, the desolation is absolute. In addition, the patient may lose confidence in their doctor and experience some skepticism when attempting a new treatment.
Addressing the increased resistant depression is not easy for e-parties, so in many cases a firm commitment on the part of the patient and, above all, family support is necessary so as not to lose this therapeutic alliance. Similarly, when a person has tried two types of antidepressants without undergoing any changes, the first thing our doctors should do, before starting a new approach, it will be this:
Finally, it is also essential that the patient is fully aware of his disease and that, as far as possible, he is motivated to change. Chemistry, as we already know, is effective and fundamental in the treatment of depression, but it also requires some personal commitment to which we can optimize the therapeutic process.
At this stage, we will have noticed one aspect: a person is considered to have increased resistant depression when he does not respond to drug treatment, but what about psychotherapeutic approach?Isn’t that helpful in these cases? It should be said that there are no conclusive studies, that is, when a person with major depression does not experience an improvement with antidepressants, he usually does not receive treatment.
In addition, it should not be forgotten that this type of depression is a very severe mood disorder that requires the administration of psychopharmaceuticals and that, when these do not work, these strategies are usually followed:
Antidepressant treatment is improved by adding other medications that may be:
Until recently, controversial electroconvulsive therapy was used to treat resistant depression, however, in recent years two interesting therapies have emerged that we should know about:
Finally, remember that our minds and bodies sometimes show their complexity, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to feel good and free yourself from this depression, don’t be afraid to follow the advice of good professionals, as they will eventually find the approach that suits you best.