How to Use Different Treatments for Depression

Depression is one of the most common forms of psychological illness in the world, and it can strike at any time, with little warning, and without any signs of predisposition. Unfortunately, depression is just as difficult to treat as it is to predict, and patients must often use different treatments before they achieve any results.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Talk to your doctor about the symptoms you've experienced. In many cases, you'll need to use different treatments for different types of symptoms in order to control your depression. For example, some patients require medication for insomnia, which is a common product of depression, as well as medication for the main problem.
2. Understand that body chemistry and other physical factors affect how each individual patient responds to medication. You may need to try several different treatments before you find one that actually begins to make a difference. In fact, some patients go through five or six different drugs before they find the right one.
3. Talk to your doctor about your different treatment options for depression. There are several high-quality drugs on the market, as well as countless alternative methods for treatment. Ask about whether or not you can combine medications without adverse side effects, and how you can go about testing certain medications.
4. Follow your doctor's instructions exactly. Depression treatments must often be taken precisely according to their prescription; otherwise, they have negative side effects or simply don't work the way they should. This is especially true when you're trying multiple treatments at once.
5. Consider holistic medicine if you find that traditional depression treatments don't work. In many cases, combining medication with holistic remedies is far more effective than drugs alone.
6. Remember to take your medication consistently so that you and your therapist can evaluate them accurately. If you miss days or forget to take your pills, the report you give your doctor will be incomplete, and you won't receive the care you need and deserve.

Tips & Warnings

• Be open and honest with your doctor about the effects of each of the depression treatments you try. Holding things back will only slow down the rate of recovery.
• Avoid taking herbs, vitamins and other holistic supplements until you clear them with your doctor. Medications can react negatively with natural substances as well as other drugs.