You can have treatment-resistant depression if you've received treatment for depression but your symptoms haven't subsided. Most people find that taking an antidepressant or attending psychotherapy helps with their depressive symptoms. Standard therapies, however, fall short in the case of treatment-resistant depression. These treatments may not be very effective, or your symptoms might start to improve, only for them to return again in full force.

Ask your doctor to refer you to a licensed mental health counselor in Florida who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders if your depression symptoms persist despite taking antidepressants prescribed by your main care physician.

A Florida licensed mental health counselor will review your medical history and may:

• Inquire about any circumstances in your life that might be causing your depression.
• Review all of the medications you are taking, including over-the-counter medicines and herbal supplements, and think about how you responded to treatment, including medication, psychotherapy, and other therapies you have tried.
• Examine your medication use and compliance with other treatment regiment requirements.
• Take into account physical health issues including thyroid abnormalities, persistent pain, or cardiac issues that can occasionally exacerbate or cause depression.
• May consider another mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder, which can cause or worsen depression and may require different treatment; dysthymia, a mild but long-lasting (chronic) form of depression; or a personality disorder that makes the depression worse rather than better.
• Treatment-resistant depression symptoms can range from mild to severe, and it may be necessary to try a few different strategies before finding one that works.

Medication strategies

Don't give up if you've already tried an antidepressant and it didn't work. Simply said, you and your doctor could not have found the dosage, drug, or drug combination that works for you.

Psychological counseling

A psychiatrist, psychologist, or Florida mental health counselor can be extremely helpful when providing psychological counseling (psychotherapy). The most effective treatment for many patients combines medicine and psychotherapy. It can assist in identifying hidden issues that can exacerbate your symptoms. Depression treatment in Florida can also help you gain skills and coping mechanisms to overcome your depression. For example, psychotherapy can help you:

• Improve your ability to handle life's hardships
• Address previous emotional damage
• Manage your relationships better
• Discover ways to lessen the impact of stress on your life
• Address any issues of substance abuse

Discuss trying an alternative strategy with your psychotherapist if counseling doesn't seem to be working. Finding a treatment that works may require multiple tries, just like with medications. Psychotherapy for depression may include:

• Cognitive behavioral approach: This popular form of counseling focuses on the ideas, emotions, and actions that influence your mood. It gives you the tools to recognize and alter erroneous or negative thought patterns and teaches you how to react positively to obstacles in life.
• Therapeutic acceptance: Acceptance and commitment therapy, a kind of cognitive behavioral therapy, encourages you to reflect and respond positively to negative thoughts and feelings. It is intended for diseases that don't respond to treatment.
• Interpersonal counseling: The goal of interpersonal psychotherapy is to resolve any relationship problems that might be causing your depression.
• Family or marriage counseling: In this form of treatment, your partner or spouse may also participate in counseling. Eliminating relationship stress can help with depression.
• Dialectical Behavioral treatment: You can develop acceptance tactics and problem-solving abilities with the aid of this kind of therapy. This is helpful for persistent suicidal ideas or self-harming tendencies, which occasionally accompany depression that is resistant to treatment.
• Mindfulness: Paying attention and accepting one's thoughts and feelings without labeling them as "correct" or "wrong" in the time are key components of mindfulness.
• Stimulation of behavior. This kind of therapy helps depressed people gradually reduce their avoidance and isolation and increase their participation in activities that have been proven to lift their mood.