What is Treatment-Resistant Depression?

While the standard treatments for Depression offer relief to many patients, this is not always the case. Some patients unfortunately either don’t respond or suffer unwanted side effects from medication. In these cases, a patient may have Treatment-Resistant depression.  

Those who suffer from this may benefit from a non-medication type of treatment specifically designed to treat this type of depression such as TMS or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

What are the common symptoms? 

Treatment-Resistant Depression has all of the symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder. The main difference is that people with TRD don’t respond to initial treatments. The common symptoms are:  

  • Excessive sleep or lack of sleep 

  • Loss of interest or pleasure  

  • Suicidal thoughts  

  • Feelings of sorrow, emptiness, hopelessness, and isolation 

  • Slowed speech, response, and movement 

  • Previous treatment attempts did not provide adequate relief of symptoms 

  • Side effects of previous treatments were too severe to manage  

Treatment Options

Treatment-Resistant Depression is complex, as those with it have previously tried multiple medications. The next steps to take after trying antidepressants includes: 

With years of research and FDA approval, TMS is a safe, effective, noninvasive form of brain stimulation. This device, which operates outside the body, uses magnetic fields to stimulate specific areas of the brain to improve symptoms of depression. This treatment has virtually no side effects, unlike antidepressants or Electroconvulsive Therapy.  Check out our TMS page for more information. 

TMS Therapy 

Spravato is also an effective treatment option for TRD and it can start to improve mood in as little as 24 hours. Spravato may also be especially helpful for those suffering with suicidal ideations. Check out our Spravato page for more information. 

Spravato

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective treatment for major depression. However, it is not as widely available as other treatments and it can be difficult to participate in the treatment because it is very time and energy intensive. Because of this, it is important to consult with our psychiatrists regarding which treatment would be best for you. 

ECT