When depression resists treatment
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A number of therapies, often in combination, have been shown to help treatment-resistant depression.
ILLUSTRATION: VANESSA SABA/NYTIMES
Melinda Wenner Moyer
- Treatment-resistant depression occurs when patients do not improve after trying at least two different antidepressants, affecting about 31 per cent of treated individuals in the US.
- Factors like childhood trauma, other medical conditions, genetics and patient expectations can impact treatment success and contribute to resistance.
- New treatments include transcranial magnetic stimulation, ketamine-based therapies, and combining medications with lifestyle changes for better outcomes.
AI generated
NEW YORK – When Juan Rivera was in college, he noticed that the activities he loved, such as going out with friends, had stopped making him happy.
“I would be with my friends, but not enjoying it fully and just sort of feeling flat,” he said. On bad days, he could barely get out of bed, much less summon the motivation to leave the house.