Why are some cases of depression untreatable?

Question

I cant seem to not be depressed.

Answer 1

i know how you feel ive been living with it for years, i scared ill be like this my whole life

Answer 2

They're all treatable, it's just that the treatment doesn't always work (okay, I know that's not a helpful answer).

1) Antidepressants usually take 2-6 weeks until they work, so you should wait 6 weeks or more before switching medications. Also, doctors like to prescribe as low of a dose as they think will do the trick... sometimes that dose is too low and you should try a higher dose, in which case you should again wait a while before the concentration is built up in your body.

2) A combination of counseling and meds tends to be most effective. Some counselors suck at their job, and you'll find you 'click' better with some counselors than with others. So if counseling isn't doing anything for you, find another counselor. Counseling, just like drugs, takes some time before you see effects. There are different types of counseling; some are more effective and work faster than others. Psychoanalysis tends to take forever and often doesn't work, whereas you tend to see results fairly quickly with cognitive behavioral therapy.

3) Electroshock therapy tends to work in the vast majority of cases of people with depression, BUT it gives you memory loss... you'll forget about everything that happened in the past 6 months, although over time you might start remembering things again. So basically, this is not a first choice, but you probably haven't tried it yet and if you haven't and the above two options don't work it's definitely better than just giving up.

So, I don't know how long you've been depressed and what you've tried, but it's really rather rare that none of the treatment options work for someone... and sometimes it just seems to be a matter of growing up and gaining more perspective.

Answer 3

Just my opinions: Different things cause depression. Depression can be caused by a situation, a chemical imbalance, and other factors. Sometimes, it takes a doctor a few tries to get a patient's medication regulated regarding type and dosage. Everyone is different, and different medications work better, or worse, on different people. Therapy and counseling are more effective for some than for others.

See your doctor and tell him/her what you asked here. Ask for a referral to a neurologist, if necessary, to get a complete picture of your physical health, including your brain's health. A depression support group might be a good idea, as well.

BTW: if you have stopped taking your medication for depression, please resume your regular dosage. Some people stop taking their meds after a short time because they don't "feel" any different. However, some medications take a while to build up in the body, and you may not feel the medicine "working" right away.

Keep fighting for good mental health! It is worth the effort.

Answer 4

Well, what have you done so far to treat your depression? Sometimes it takes a while to find the right antidepressant medication that works for you, and you also need to find a good therapist you feel comfortable with. Don't give up if you haven't found the right kind of help yet, there are lots of options for treatment.

Answer 5

The chronic ones, like Dysthymic dis., are mild forms of depression, but usually start in the childhood. Depressions that are developped later on in life might be more acute but easier to get rid of.