Treatment

Even though depression can be a serious illness, there are a number of effective treatment options.

The first step is to go to your doctor. Start with your general practitioner (GP). Your GP will make a diagnosis then discuss the treatment options with you. In some cases you may be referred to a psychiatrist for ongoing management.

The most widely used types of treatment include antidepressant medication (of various classes), psychotherapy, and in severe cases electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Additionally, research is constantly carried out into other types of treatment e.g. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

You can read about these forms of treatment in this section.