Effectiveness of antidepressants for quality of life

“These results are interesting, but I don’t consider them a revelation.” Ernesto Rila de la RosaPh.D., a clinical psychologist and media adviser licensed by the Hope for Depression Research Foundation, told Healthline.

“Mental health has a lot of complexity and nuances, especially when it comes to dosing,” said Liladera Rosa. “Psychiatric medications can be very helpful to many clients experiencing depression and other mental health concerns. People in their lives have psychotherapy and psychiatric care. It may be necessary to combine both medications. Anti-depressive medications may serve as an adjunct to treatment and may also serve in the long term for people with a history of depression. “

Many experts say that antidepressants are not always considered a permanent solution.

“By the American Psychiatric Association Guidelines, Antidepressants should be used for at least 4-5 months after the symptoms of depression have stopped. ” Juliet McLendon, PhD, director of medical care at Big Health Mental Health Care, told Healthline. “However, due to limited access to human-provided treatments, medications are often used for long periods of time to manage depression and other mental health conditions.”

“In my experience, people see antidepressants as a long-term solution.” Eric PattersonA licensed professional counselor and certified clinical mental health supervisor in western Pennsylvania told Healthline. “People may be interested in a life without medication, but may see it stop as a risk that it is too worth taking.”

“A group of experts promotes different treatment periods of 6, 12, or 24 months for people using antidepressants,” Patterson added. “In reality, many people have depressive disorders and their mood episodes relapse, which means that symptoms may recur after a while.”

“This really depends on the individual, genetics, environment, and treatment plan by the psychiatric provider,” said Lira de la Rosa. “In general, most people may have been taking antidepressants for 6-9 months, but this is not always the case and there is a lot of variability among individuals.”

According to experts, more and more people are taking antidepressants during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their effectiveness is of even greater concern.

“According to recent data, less than 22% of patients will have access to non-drug treatment through therapists,” said McClendon. “Treatment is a limited resource, but antidepressants and other medicines are more accessible options, leaving many patients with only pharmacological options for treating mental health conditions such as depression. not.

“As a result, the prescriptions for antidepressants, anxiolytics and insomnia have increased significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020,” she added. “Pandemic challenges-increased time at home, increased uncertainty and anxiety, and decreased physical activity-have caused a significant increase in mental health status and only exacerbated the mental health crisis. “

For those who believe they are dealing with depression but don’t know what they need, experts say there is a wide range of effective answers.

“Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the world,” says Liladera Rosa. “There are many ways people can deal with depression, but it is highly recommended to work with a mental health professional for individual psychotherapy. It is also psychiatric in collaboration with a psychiatrist. It may also mean doing an assessment to determine if medication and treatment are recommended. “

“In addition to treatment, it’s important to get support from loved ones and family,” he added. “Depression can make people feel lonely, desperate, helpless, and additional support can be beneficial.”

“As a professional counselor, I think treatment should always be a front-line treatment for depression,” Patterson said. “Therapies are widely available and have no side effects. People can also work by focusing on their physical health needs by getting enough sleep, eating well and increasing exercise. You can also spend time with your loved ones, reduce negative coping skills such as alcohol and drugs, and spend too much money. ”