Treatment Resistant Depression

A friend sent me a link to an interesting but frightening article on treatment resistant depression.  Here it is if you want to check it out.

http://www.westcoasttmsinstitute.com/depression/general-depression/hope-for-those-with-treatment-resistant-depression/?goback=.gde_112401_member_167232516

Depression is generally considered treatment resistant if a person doesn't improve after two full trials of antidepressant medications.  Unfortunately, it can take two to four months to do a full trial of one antidepressant drug, because with many antidepressants, the dose must be increased gradually, and then full results are not expected until the dose has been at a therapeutic level for about four weeks.  That means by the time someone is diagnosed with treatment resistant depression, they've probably been suffering for at least four to eight months.

One scary thing is the fact that, once you've suffered one episode of depression, the likelihood of suffering another increases greatly.  Only 16% of people suffer an episode of clinical depression in their lifetime.  However, once you've suffered one episode of depression, there is a 50% chance you'll suffer another.  Once you've suffered two episodes of depression, there is a 75% chance you'll suffer another.  I guess since I've suffered about a million episodes of depression, there is probably a 175% chance I'll suffer another.  It's great to have something to look forward to.

Another scary thing is the fact that 15% of people with treatment resistant depression end up committing suicide.  I think that makes it the second most deadly mental illness.  20% of people with anorexia die from their condition; it's the most deadly form of mental illness.  15% of people with treatment resistant depression die from their illness.  That really frightens me.