The method of treating depression that is still used in psychiatry is electroconvulsive therapy. However, electroconvulsive therapy is definitely not the primary treatment option for depressive disorders – it is usually used in the case of drug-resistant depression, depression with very strong suicidal tendencies and in patients with depressive disorders who refuse to drink and drink.
Electroconvulsive shock is a concern for many people, but in practice it is both safe (it can be used even in people suffering from cardiological diseases) and an effective method of treatment – it is estimated that the effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy can reach from 70 to even 90%.
Treatment of depression: modern methods
Due to the increasing prevalence of depressive disorders and the fact that some patients suffer from their drug-resistant forms, various scientists are trying to search for modern methods of depression treatment.
One of them is transcranial magnetic stimulation, which in a way resembles electroshock – this method activates nerve cells by inducing electrical phenomena in the parts of the brain that are being stimulated.
The so-called psychosurgery – its aim is to break neural connections that may function improperly and thus generate depressive symptoms, but at the moment, surgical treatment in psychiatry is used extremely rarely.
It is worth adding here that changes also occur in the pharmacological treatment of depression. There are new preparations, the action of which resembles the mechanism of action of antidepressants that have already been known and used for years, but there is also mention of the possibility of using drugs in the treatment of depressive disorders, which previously would not be suspected of having an antidepressant effect at all.
Treatment of depression in pregnant women
Depression in pregnant women also requires different treatment than usual. In the case of depression only during pregnancy, usually, initially – especially when depressive symptoms are only slightly severity – attempts are made to solve the problem with the use of psychotherapy.
However, when pharmacological treatment becomes necessary, the aim is to use the minimum effective dose of the drug, in addition, preference is given to those preparations that are associated with the lowest risk for the fetus (SSRI agents are usually used in depression in pregnant women).
Treating depression: the role of exercise, diet, and other interactions
Contrary to appearances, not only drugs and work with therapists, but also other methods can help depressed patients. From time to time, medical publications report how regular physical activity has a beneficial effect on the condition of patients.
An appropriate, balanced diet is important for people with depression, and quite unusual methods, such as acupuncture or drinking St. John’s wort, can also help. However, it should be emphasized here that, yes – these methods can bring beneficial results – they should, however, be used as an adjunct and never constitute the basic methods used in the treatment of depression.
Treatment of depression: drug-resistant depression and psychotic depression
An issue that is definitely worth mentioning when discussing the treatment of depressive disorders is the treatment of a specific form of depression, which is drug-resistant depression. In its course, various therapeutic strategies are used – among others, combinations of different antidepressants in one patient (usually they are agents with different mechanisms of action).