Psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and their combination in the treatment of major depressive disorder: how well are we making use of available therapies?

Psychoterapy vs Pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder

Abstract

Depression is a serious and debilitating psychiatric affection, which causes disruptions to an individual’s well-being and daily life existence. It is a highly heterogeneous disorder, for which the full neurological mechanisms are yet to be elucidated, therefore it is very difficult to establish the optimal treatment strategy. Various treatment options are available, ranging from different forms of psychotherapy to drug therapies and non-pharmacological approaches. There is constant effort and resources being invested into discovering novel antidepressants and therapeutic protocols to treat depression, while also perfect-ing the already available treatment options. Even so, the question remains, how well are we managing the treatment of major depressive disorder, and which is the best option not only to treat this condition but also to reach full remission. In this review, we have compiled findings on treatment selections and how efficient they are in relation to each other. The more we understand how to treat depression effec-tively the more we can improve the quality of life of individuals affected by this disorder.