Depression is a deeply personal problem, and its recovery looks different from person to person. But living with depression, particularly when your medication stops working or leaves you feeling worse, can be one of the most challenging situations. If you find yourself in such a scenario, it may be worth considering a few other proven treatments. Keeping that in mind, read on to find out what some of these most popular options are and which one may be best for you.
What is treatment-resistant depression?
Medically speaking, the situation we mentioned at the start is known as treatment-resistant depression. It’s when your prominent signs of depression do not improve after trying one or more antidepressants at the correct dose for a prolonged period. It’s a frustrating situation, yes, but fortunately, it doesn’t mean your condition is untreatable. What’s just as necessary to address is that this isn’t a personal failure on your part. Within the past few years alone, research on mental health has made tremendous strides to find effective options for people who do not respond well to medication. It’s a common issue that scientists continue to tackle to this day.
The first option: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT for short, is a structured form of therapy that focuses on how your thoughts, behaviours, and emotions interact with each other. It gives you the tools to notice and work through specific patterns of negative thinking that you may carry, along with ways to respond to them positively. Not only is CBT recommended in national guidelines for the treatment of depression, but it is also a safe path to empower yourself without relying on any chemical substances.
When it comes to how it actually works, CBT is delivered by trained professionals and usually involves a set number of sessions. You’ll be required to participate actively, practice all the techniques involved in between the sessions, and maintain a consistent rapport with your therapist. Throughout the therapy, you’ll develop tools specific to yourself that will help manage your mood and cope with any setback. However, it can take a bit of time and may not work in the long term. Thankfully, we have more options for non-invasive treatment of depression.
rTMS Therapy: A non-drug option for depression
The second treatment option you can consider is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, or rTMS for short. It is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas in your brain that are responsible for mood regulation. Here’s the rundown of how it works: This therapy involves placing a magnetic coil on your scalp to deliver focused pulses in targeted brain regions over several sessions. By working locally on the brain, this procedure essentially avoids all the common side effects associated with antidepressants.
It may seem overly science-y at a glance, but rTMS is a safe procedure that is built with the specific purpose of tackling depression and other similar conditions. When you find yourself an option for rTMS in London, be sure to ask the mental health professionals at the clinic to fully understand the ins and outs of the procedure, along with how you’re supposed to feel after each session.
The essential tools to support your recovery
While therapies like CBT and rTMS are central to drug-free treatment plans, you still need to consider your lifestyle and how it supports your mental health. Though lifestyle habits and changes in how you live aren’t a treatment on their own, they undoubtedly make your recovery stronger and more sustainable.
For starters, make meditation and deep breathing exercises your best friend. These can reduce stress and help you feel more grounded, which can be extremely useful when things get rough. Next, any kind of physical activity is a must. It may not seem connected, but physical health has a massive positive impact on your mood and your sleep cycles. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, seek social connections. Maybe you can find a local community or join a support group online, but simply having someone to talk to can help stabilise your mood over time, all while reducing the risk of a relapse. Of course, all these things may seem difficult at first, but as you seek the therapies we’ve discussed above, all you need to do is overcome the initial inertia and just get started. Everything will work out once you do so.
Remember: You are not the problem
Though we’ve touched on this before, it’s important to remember that the problem isn’t with you. Yes, your symptoms are not responding well to medication, but you are not alone in this situation. This can happen to anyone, and if anything, it’s more a case of our sciences still catching up to cover every human being’s unique biological makeup.
Through CBT, rTMS, or any other treatment approach, many people do improve after finding the correct treatment. Sometimes, the most effective strategy involves combining several therapies rather than relying on a single method. For instance, CBT can be paired with rTMS or even lifestyle changes to improve overall effectiveness. The only thing you need to do is speak with a mental health professional who understands treatment-resistant depression and can guide you towards the option that’s right for you. At the end of the day, all you need to remember is that there is no single timeline for recovery and no one path that works for everyone. But there are paths, and with the right help, you can find yours.
