Areas of Expertise

DEPRESSION
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Depression affects an estimated 17 million Americans in any one year period. Everyone gets the blues, but feelings of sadness that last for two or more weeks, and interfere with daily activities, may indicate depression.

The first step is determine whether you are clinically depressed, and if so, to discuss possible treatment options. For mild to moderate depression, psychotherapy may be the best treatment option. However, for major depression or for certain people, psychotherapy may not be enough. Studies have indicated that for adolescents, a combination of medication and psychotherapy may be the most effective approach to treating major depression and reducing the likelihood for recurrence.1 Similarly, a study examining depression treatment among older adults found that patients who responded to initial treatment of medication and IPT were less likely to have recurring depression if they continued their combination treatment for at least two years. 2 Psychotherapy can help you with your depression or help you create an environment which limits the risk of becoming depressed in the future.

1 March J, Silva S, Petrycki S, Curry J, Wells K, Fairbank J, Burns B, Domino M, McNulty S, Vitiello B, Severe J. Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) team. Fluoxetine, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and their combination for adolescents with depression: Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS) randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2004; 292(7): 807- 820.

2.. Reynolds CF III, Dew MA, Pollock BG, Mulsant BH, Frank E, Miller MD, Houck PR, Mazumdar S, Butters MA, Stack JA, Schlernitzauer MA, Whyte EM, Gildengers A, Karp J, Lenze E, Szanto K, Bensasi S, Kupfer DJ. Maintenance treatment of major depression in old age. New England Journal of Medicine, 2006 Mar 16; 354(11): 1130-1138.