This Under-Utilized Drug Is Actually Critical for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Many people with clinical depression have tried an array of medication and still feel sick. Maybe they’ve tried different selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Maybe they’ve taken these antidepressants along with an antipsychotic (a common strategy to boost effectiveness). Either way, the lack of improvement can make individuals feel even more hopeless and fear the darkness will never lift. If this sounds all-too familiar, you’re definitely not alone. In fact, up to 30 percent of people with depression don’t respond to the first few antidepressants they try. Many individuals with treatment-resistant depression may benefit from a class of antidepressants that today is rarely offered to them: monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs. “MAOIs are the best antidepressants on the planet,” said Mark D. Rego, M.D., a psychiatrist with 23 years of experience, specializing in treatment-resistant individuals, and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Rego has seen incredible changes in patients with severe depression who were struggling with profound anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts and taking strong doses of antipsychotic medication and SSRIs. After taking an MAOI, their symptoms “vanished.” After her husband passed away, Sue Trupin fell into a deep depression that lasted 3 years. During this time, she tried over 10 different medications in differen...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Antidepressants Depression Disorders ECT General Medications Treatment Atypical Depression difficult to treat depression Managing Depression MAOIs medication for depression Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors Severe Depression Treatin Source Type: news