Finding unbiased information about medication for depression can be an uphill challenge. What is said often depends upon who is presenting the material.
Research by drug companies, of course, recommends a drug for depression as the best treatment. However, numerous analyses of research studies have come to the conclusion that cognitive-behavioural therapy is at least as effective as using a drug for depression. Other studies show that combined psychotherapy with a drug for depression is more effective than a drug for depression alone. But then some studies suggest that a combination is no more effective that psychotherapy alone.
Then there's the economic argument. A drug for depression is more often prescribed by family practitioners than by psychiatrists because, some argue, managed care companies prefer antidepressant medications because they are less expensive than psychotherapy.
And, if that isn't confusing enough, a recent, controversial study found that 75% of the improvement people report is not caused by the drug for depression but rather by the "passage of time, changes in the circumstances of a person's life and the actual side-effects of a medication that has no antidepressant effect".
So where does that leave you and your drug for depression? Should you/shouldn't you take it? Will it/won't it work?
Well, first and foremost, if you've been described a drug for depression DO NOT STOP TAKING IT without the support/recommendation of your Health Care Professional.
Having said that, bear in mind that their recommendation for treatment may have more to do with their training (whether they're a physician or a psychiatrist for example) than with any particular knowledge of your situation.
The most important point may be that there are a variety of treatments that are effective for depression.
The key is that you are responsible for your own recovery. You know your body and your personal circumstances the best. It may not matter which treatment your doctor or therapist offers first. If it doesn't work, ask him or her about alternatives. It is important to work with a Health Care Professional as part of your Support Team, rather than seeing them as all knowledgeable with the right answers.
Taking a drug for depression was an important part of my own recovery (http://www.depression-recovery-life.com/personal-story.html for more details). But equally important were learning more about depression generally, learning more about what triggered my personal depression and enlisting the help of a Support Team.
Part of long-term recovery is learning to trust yourself. You're already on your way to doing that because you're already taking responsibility by seeking out information such as this.
You CAN recover and you've taken the first steps. A drug for depression may indeed be important to your long-term recovery which may, or may not, include counseling, changes in your diet an alternative therapy etc.
You are a unique and wonderful human being. Your life is unique - as is your depression. It makes sense then that your recovery will also be unique to you.
If you choose to use a drug for depression make sure it is part of an overall strategy for recovery. Trust yourself to know what's best for you whilst using your Health Care Professional as a valued part of your team.
The secret to your recovery is not the drug for depression. YOU are!
Copyright (c) Gillian Pearce, 2003.
Gillian Pearce is a Personal and Business Coach and creator of the '7 Steps to a Depression Free Life Coaching Programme'(c). For more information visit:
http://www.depression-recovery-life.com/bin/ap.pl?7Step003 |
