Treatments for Teen Depression
Antidepressants & Talk Therapy Blend to Effectively Treat Depression
Effective treatments for teen depression (and adult depression) include combination therapy: a blend of antidepressants and cognitive-behavioral talk therapy.
The National Institute of Mental Health completed a major study of the most effective treatments for teen depression and found that a combination of antidepressants and talk therapy work best.
“Combination therapy” is defined as a two-pronged approach to deal with depression, using both antidepressants and talk therapy. It’s especially useful for people resistant to either medication or therapy because they’re more likely to stick with combination therapy until the depression is under control.
“Depression in teens is a serious illness that can and should be treated aggressively,” said Dr Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. “[This study] provides compelling evidence for families and clinicians that the most effective way to treat depression in teens is with a two-pronged approach. It reassures us that antidepressant medication combined with psychotherapy is an effective and safe way to help teens recover from this disabling illness.”
Antidepressants and teen depression
Antidepressants can quickly reduce the physical signs of depression, such as fatigue and confused thinking. As long as they’re closely monitored by doctors, antidepressants are effective in treating teen depression.
However, some antidepressants have been found to increase thoughts of suicide in teens with depression. Though antidepressants can speed recovery, they may have unsavory side effects – which is why talk therapy is valuable.
Talk therapy and teen depression
Talk therapy helps teens with depression learn new ways of coping with difficult situations and negative emotions. It gives depressed teens a “safe place” to talk about feelings of despondency, worthlessness or isolation. Talk therapy can teach important, healthy life skills that extend beyond antidepressants.
A different study by The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center found that talk therapy alone was no more effective in treating teen depression than placebos. In their research of combination therapy, the two-pronged approach of talk therapy and antidepressants was most successful in treating teen depression, followed by antidepressants alone. Talk therapy alone was least effective in treating teen depression.
Combination therapy and teen depression
If depressed teens are vulnerable to thoughts of suicide due to antidepressants, then talk therapy can help. However, be aware that different types of antidepressant medications affect individuals in different ways - and so does talk therapy. An effective treatment for depression for one may be ineffective in another.
Combination therapy and adult depression
Adults struggling with chronic forms of major depression also benefit from combination therapy, for the same reasons. Doctors at Brown University found effective treatments for depression include combining antidepressants and talk therapy – but they caution that results do depend on the type of antidepressant taken.
If you found Treatments for Teen Depression helpful, try:
- Causes of Depression
- Physical Signs of Depression
- Dealing With Depression
- Natural Treatments for Depression
