SSRI and Depression - SSRI Resistant Depression Treatments

If you have been taking an SSRI for your depression and your symptoms have not diminished, it may be time to consider other options. There are still options available if your SSRI is not working, as there are methods to deal with SSRI resistant depression treatments. Read on to see how doctors may treat your depression if the first attempt with an SSRI is unsuccessful.

Treat Depression with Various SSRIs

There are several different SSRIs that are available to treat your depression. Here is the list along with the popular brand name.

Citalopram (Celexa)
Escitalopram (Lexapro)
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
Paroxetine (Paxil)
Sertraline (Zoloft)

All 6 of these SSRIs have to be prescribed by a doctor and are used to treat depression by manipulating the serotonin levels in your body. It generally takes two to four weeks for the SSRI to begin to relieve symptoms of depression. If you do not feel a relaxing of your depression symptoms after this time, you should consult your doctor.

One of the options available to your doctor is to switch from one SSRI to another. Though they all deal with the serotonin levels in the body, they do so using a different mechanism that may make a difference in your treatment. Recent studies and doctor testimonials have shown that switching to a different SSRI can make a difference in treating the symptoms of your depression.

Switching to a Non-SSRI for Depression

There is also the option of switching to a different class of drugs. There are other options outside of the now common use of SSRIs. You should compare common SSRI's and speak with your medical professional in order to determine which is best for your needs. Here are a few of the other options available for your doctor to prescribe.

Buproprion (Zyban)
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
Tricyclic Anti-Depressants (TCAs)
Venlafaxine (Effexor)

MAOIs are not to be used with SSRIs because of hazardous drug interactions. They have been around for decades and produce more severe side effects than SSRIs. Your doctor would probably prescribe buproprion or vanlafaxine before an MAOI. TCAs are also known to have more severe side effects than SSRIs because they are less selective about which cells they manipulate. SSRIs have become the most popular way to treat depression because of lesser side effects.  

Non-Medication Therapies for Depression

One of the more popular alternatives to SSRIs and other medications for the treatment of depression is behavioral therapies. The most popular of these therapies is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

In Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, you work with a therapist to first analyze your specific thoughts behind your depression and, secondly, work to change your actual thoughts through various techniques with the aid of a trained therapist.

CBT is used many times in conjunction with medication and generally may be continued after medication with an SSRI or other drug is discontinued. Though many patients are first treated with medication and then possibly with CBT, if your SSRI is not treating your depression, CBT may be brought into the treatment plan sooner. Be sure to do your research and then compare common SSRI treatments in order to find the solution that will best meet your needs.