Are you alone with depression? Here's how to find the right treatment for you!

Are you being treated for depression? If so, have you ever had this happen to you? You feel like the first medication your doctor gave you didn't work. If that's the case, don't worry. In fact, about half of people with depression don't respond to the first medication they give you. Sometimes, even if the medication works, you may experience side effects like drowsiness, nausea, weight gain, and problems with your sex life. This is something that happens to many people. So let's talk about this in a little more detail .

How do you choose the right antidepressant for you?

Choosing a medication for depression is not as simple as going to a store and picking something off the shelf. It's much more complex than that.

Before prescribing a medication, your doctor may ask you questions like these:

• Family history: Have you or anyone in your family ever taken medication for depression? How did that medication work? These answers can give you an idea of ​​how that medication might affect you.
• Other medical conditions: Your doctor will also want to know if you have any other mental or physical conditions, such as bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or anxiety. For example, if you have a medical condition that puts you at risk of bleeding, you may want to avoid medications called SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). These medications can slightly increase the risk of bleeding.
• Other medications: If you are already taking medication for other conditions, the doctor will also make sure that the new medication does not conflict with that medication.
• Pregnancy: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, do not give medications that are not safe for you at that time.

Simply put, this is like a tailor taking your measurements and tailoring a dress that fits you perfectly.

This is a journey of learning through experience.

When you start a new medication, your doctor will check in with you at regular intervals to see how you're feeling and if you're having any side effects. It's like learning the way on a new road.

It can take about 6 weeks for a medication to work properly in the body. Also, the initial side effects often decrease over time. So it's important to be patient.

Suppose your symptoms are a little better, but not completely better. Then the doctor may increase the dose of the medication a little. Or, he may try switching to another medication of the same ``class``.

However, if a medication doesn't work for you or causes unbearable side effects, your doctor may switch you to a completely different medication. How you responded to the previous medication can help determine which medication to choose next. For example, if you've been experiencing stomach upset with an SSRI, the next medication you should try may not be an SSRI.

Sometimes, adding another medication to an antidepressant can improve the results. It's like adding a little something extra to a meal to make it more delicious.

Lifestyle changes are like medicine.

Treating depression is not much different than treating a disease like high blood pressure. Just think, just like taking medication for blood pressure, you are told to control your diet, exercise, and reduce salt. The same is true for depression. Not only medication, but also lifestyle changes can have a very positive effect.

Research even shows that these lifestyle changes are very helpful in managing depression.

Can genetic testing help?

Yes, this is a relatively new technology. Your genes can provide some clues to finding the right medicine for you.

These genetic tests take a sample of your saliva or blood and predict how your body will respond to a particular medication. This test is not 100% certain that this is the right medication. However, it can give your doctor a good idea of ​​how your body processes a particular medication and what the potential side effects are.

But these tests are a bit expensive. And they are often done for people who have tried several medications but have not responded well to treatment.

Don't give up, keep trying!

Doctors say that there is a 50-50 chance of finding the right medication on the first try. If that doesn't work, there is about a 40% chance of getting it right on the second try. Each time you switch to a new medication, the chances of success decrease slightly.

When symptoms persist despite treatment, you may think, "This medicine is no use." But never stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor. About 9 out of 10 people who continue with treatment for about a year eventually recover.

Sometimes, when several medications don't work, the doctor starts over and asks, "Is this diagnosis correct? Am I missing something?"

Cases where treatment methods may need to be changed

If your depression is very stubborn, meaning it doesn't respond to typical treatments, you may need to consider other treatment options.

• TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation): This involves using magnetic waves to stimulate certain parts of the brain that have decreased activity.
• ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy): This involves sending very low-voltage electrical waves through the brain, causing chemical changes in the brain and relieving symptoms.
• Ketamine:This is an anesthetic and is given under the supervision of a doctor for depression that does not respond to treatment.

Once you find the right medication and dosage for you, take it exactly as your doctor tells you. Keep taking it until he or she tells you to stop. This is because depression is a chronic illness, and if you stop taking it halfway, it can come back.