More than 300 million people across all ages are living with depression worldwide.1 Up to 35% of those living with major depressive disorder (MDD) experience resistance to treatment.2
Not all depression is the same. When patients suffering from depression do not experience sustained improvement from two or more therapies they are considered to have Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD), also sometimes referred to as difficult to treat depression. Every person living with depression is different, so each person requires a unique approach to overcoming this disease allowing them to live their best life.3
Although antidepressant medications help many people, some continue to experience depression in spite of treatment.
As many as one third of people diagnosed with depression experience long periods of depression without improvement.3 Many times an acute episode of depression will respond to treatment in the short-term, but for some patients depression comes back and persists despite treatment. Medications may relieve depression only partially, may not help, or may stop working after a while. If you have depression despite trying multiple therapies, you are not alone and there are options.
Physicians have discovered that there are many different causes of depression, instead of one single cause. Although some types of depression are more difficult to treat than others, physicians will continue to try different treatments until he or she finds the right one. When depression persists, physicians often try treatments that target different chemicals within the brain, either by changing the levels of naturally occurring brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, or by improving the ability of nerves to process signals. Physicians are learning that many different neurotransmitters affect moods. Most antidepressant treatments may target or impact one or two potential causative factors of depression, but do not affect all the areas of the brain thought to affect mood. This may be one reason why depressive symptoms persist.4 Certain biologic factors can also contribute to treatment resistance, including genetics, changes within the brain over time or the body may change the way it handles a drug after a period of time.
People with depression may require a different type of ongoing treatment. Depression that persists despite several treatments may respond to other treatments. Depression can be a long-lasting condition that interferes with daily activities and compromises quality of life.3, 4 Therefore, a long-term solution is desired and there are options available with proven long term outcomes.4
Treatment Options
Lifestyle Modifications
Medications
Talk Therapy
Stimulation Therapy, including:
• Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy
• Electroconvulsive Therapy
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
To understand the benefits and side effects of each treatment option, speak with your physician.