How long does it take for severe depression to return to normal?

Severe depression will have three obvious core symptoms of depression and at least four additional symptoms, so returning to normal cannot be achieved overnight. If patients actively receive correct treatment, they can return to normal in about 1 year, but they still need to continue taking medication to maintain treatment and reduce the recurrence rate.

The treatment of severe depression is mainly divided into the following three stages. The time required for treatment is slightly different at different stages.

1. Acute phase treatment

It generally takes about 6 to 8 weeks of medication. The specific drug selection should be based on the patient's condition, and try to choose one with good efficacy and few adverse reactions. The main purpose is to quickly relieve and eliminate depressive symptoms and reduce the risk of suicide.

2. Consolidation period treatment

It generally takes 4 to 6 months of treatment to consolidate the treatment effect in the acute phase, help patients restore social functions, and prevent the disease from relapse or worsening.

3. Maintenance treatment

Treatment generally takes 6 to 9 months, also to prevent recurrence or aggravation of the condition. For patients with multiple depressive episodes, longer treatment times are needed.

It can also be seen from the above treatment staging that usually patients have basically returned to normal after the completion of the consolidation period of treatment, that is, about 1 year after taking the medication. However, in order to ensure the treatment effect and reduce the chance of recurrence of depression, a maintenance period of treatment is required.

In addition, whether patients with severe depression can return to normal, in addition to actively cooperating with correct treatment, is also related to the patient's environment, family support and companionship, etc. Therefore, during the treatment process, the patient's family and friends should actively accompany the patient and encourage the patient in a timely manner to enhance his confidence in treatment, which will help the patient return to normal as soon as possible.

So how to treat severe depression?

Comprehensive treatment is mainly used for patients with severe depression, including medication, physical therapy and psychotherapy.

Drug treatments include fluoxetine, paroxetine, venlafaxine, duloxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, etc., which can help relieve symptoms such as depression, lack of motivation, sleep disorders, decreased appetite, decreased sexual desire, and negativity caused by severe depression.

For patients with severe depression who are silent, immobile, and not eating, physical therapy such as electroconvulsive therapy can also be used to relieve the above symptoms.

In addition, psychotherapy, such as supportive psychotherapy, economic dynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, music therapy and other psychological therapies, can also be combined to improve negative cognition and enhance the therapeutic effect.

References

[1] He Kuanjun, Guo Chuang, Tang Dingjun, eds. Progress and research on the genetics of schizophrenia and depression [M]. Suzhou: Suzhou University Press, 2020.05:225.

[2] (Germany) Written by Rudiger Dahlke; translated by Qu Meijuan and Li Jing. Depression/Out of the Darkness of the Soul [M]. Taiyuan: Shanxi Economic Publishing House, 2014.11:58.