The most important treatment for all forms of depression is antidepressant. This is often given in combination with psychotherapy. Psychotherapy or talk therapy alone may only be useful for mild types of depression. Many people find it hard to accept taking a medication to help change the way they think and feel. By accepting that depression is an illness and not the same as normal sadness, we find it easier to think of being on medication that is safe and effective.

The antidepressants can be broadly divided into the old tricyclic antidepressant (TCA’a) and the newer ones such as the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) and the dual action preparations. Talk to your Doctor in detail about these medications and it is essential to determine which one may be suitable for you. All preparations have side effects but most of these side effects disappear after taking them for a while.

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Depression is treatable! In fact, 85 to 90 percent of patients with depression can return to what they were feeling before the start of the illness. They can go back to the level of functioning that they had prior to their illness. Recovery depends on several factors including when treatment starts. We know that the sooner treatment begins the better the chances for the patient to recover fully. Before starting treatment, it is essential for a full psychological and physical examination. >This often includes interviews with the sufferer his or her family family or loved ones, blood, urine and radiological examinations. Sometimes rating scales such as the Beck’s Depression Inventory is used to assess the severity of the depression.

For Severe Depression

In severe cases of depression especially when associated with suicidal thoughts, refusal to eat or psychosis, admission may be necessary. These patients respond well to a form of treatment called Electro-convulsive therapy or ECT. This treatment is given under anaesthesia in a specialized setting.

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Elderly people are at higher risk of developing depression. There are many factors for this such as increased loneliness (empty nest syndrome – when the children leave home), death of spouse or peers, decreased activity, increase in physical illnesses and side effects of their treatment.

Often in the elderly, tiredness, anxiety, giving up on life and irritability are more common than low mood and sadness. Depression in the elderly causes poor attention and concentration leading to poor memory that can sometimes be mistaken for dementia. This is often termed, pseudo-dementia. Treating the depression improves the pseudo-dementia as well.

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