Take this FREE 5 minute depression assessment designed to pre-screen adults between the ages of 18 and 89 for symptoms of depression.

Treatment Resistant Depression

Depression that doesn’t respond to antidepressants is known as treatment-resistant depression. While antidepressants work well for many, others may see partial improvement with their symptoms or feel little to no improvement at all. If you’ve tried two or more antidepressants and are still struggling with depression symptoms, MyMichigan Health can assist.

There is no standard diagnostic criteria for treatment-resistant depression, the behavioral health professionals at MyMichigan Psychiatry will partner with patients and their current providers to evaluate and provide recommendations for one of several programs that are targeted toward adults with treatment- resistant depression.

What causes treatment-resistant depression?

The most common theories are that people may not have a major depressive disorder but may have a bipolar disorder or other condition with similar symptoms. Individuals should be reassessed to confirm the accuracy of a diagnosis.

Genetic may have a role as certain genetic variation may increase how the body breaks down antidepressant medication which could make them less effective.

Other factors include length of depression or severity of symptoms.

Treatment-Resistant Depression Programs

The behavioral health team at MyMichigan Psychiatry will evaluate each individual to determine which of these programs may provide the most benefit. Programs include:

Spravato (Esketamine) – is a prescription medicine (as a nasal spray), used along with an antidepressant taken by mouth to treat adults with treatment-resistant depression and depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder with suicidal thoughts or actions.
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) - ECT is a medical treatment used for patients with severe major depression or bipolar disorder that has not responded to other treatments. ECT involves a brief electrical stimulation of the brain while the patient is under anesthesia.
Transcranial Magnetic Therapy (TMS) - TMS is an FDA-approved, proven non-drug treatment for depression. The NeuroStar^® TMS is similar to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in that it uses precisely targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate key areas of the brain that are underactive in patients with depression. TMS therapy works best for patients who have failed to benefit from several antidepressant treatments alone.

_{NeuroStar^® is a registered trademark of Neuronetics}