Can major depression be cured?

The article was professionally consulted by MSc Nguyen Thanh Long - Consultant Psychologist, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

Depression is a serious psychological disorder that can happen to anyone, especially those who have a difficult life, live alone or have just experienced great emotional shock. In 1950, medical scientists around the world discovered the first antidepressant drugs, opening the way to treat this psychological disease.

Depression is a state of psychological and mental disorder. People with depression always have feelings of sadness, depression, fatigue, insomnia, loss of appetite, loss of interest in life, loss of ability to concentrate... In more severe depression, the person may often think about death.
Depression can appear at any age, from the young to the elderly. In particular, the rate of women infected with the disease is 2 times higher than that of men. The prevalence of depression among the elderly is also higher than that of adolescents. Each age group will have different symptoms of depression.
Depression is not only harmful to the patient but also has a significant impact on society because this psychological disorder can cause serious suffering, destroy their own lives and those of others. around. If not treated in time, it can lead to death.
Depression is expressed through 3 main symptoms:
Low mood. Loss of interest. Tired, no energy. In addition, the patient also has psychomotor and sleep disorders, always has feelings of guilt, has thoughts and commits suicide.
Depression is a complex psychological disorder, manifesting in many clinical forms and forming due to many different causes. The disease tends to be chronic, repeats in cycles, the symptoms of the disease manifest from severe to mild, may appear psychotic symptoms or interact with physical disorders, mental disorders. other.

Manifestations of depression are very diverse, depending on the cause of the disease, the severity of the depression or mild, the patient may have different manifestations such as:
Mood, sad, depressed facial expression. Isolate yourself from those around you. Loss of interest in life. Bored attitude, slow and heavy walking. Always tired, showing no energy. Not concerned with everything around. Eat less, eat less. Difficulty falling asleep, frequently waking up, wanting to sleep but not being able to sleep. Can't focus on anything. The mind is absent-minded, forgetful. Headache, neck and shoulder pain, chest tightness. Constantly worrying for no reason, being obsessed, afraid. Easily agitated, easily angered, irritable. Feelings of inferiority, self-blame, feeling worthless, no longer having any meaning in life. Constantly thinking about death. There are acts of suicide.

People with strong psychological trauma due to experiencing too great mental shock such as: losing loved ones, breaking up with lovers, pressure in life and work, career breakdown... Elderly people often miss loneliness, depression... Students face a lot of pressure in studying. The person has been going through a manic period. Patients with schizophrenia. Postpartum depression women...

Depression is treatable through the use of medication, treatment of the cause and the care of family and friends around.
Severe depression can lead to death, so it should not be taken lightly. When seeing friends and relatives showing signs of depression, it is necessary to take them to a specialist as soon as possible, especially when the patient intends to die.
Modern medicine has found many antidepressant drugs, using the right dosage, under the guidance of a doctor, the cure rate for depression is very high.
Some groups of antidepressants such as:
SSRIs: Citalopram, Escitalopram, Fluoxetine, Fluvoxamine, Paroxetine, Sertraline. SNRI group: Venlafaxine. TCA group (tricyclic antidepressant): Amitripityline. Note: this class of drugs can affect atrioventricular conduction. This group of drugs can also interact with drugs used to treat medical conditions, so they are rarely used in the elderly. NDRI group: rare. SRA group: Trazodone, Mirtazapine.

Use medication as prescribed and directed by the doctor. Do not arbitrarily buy medicine even if there are symptoms of depression similar to other patients. The prescription also depends on the cause of the disease, the accompanying pathological characteristics of each person. Sedative drugs are not effective in treating the disease. Use the right medicine and in the right dose. Do not arbitrarily stop taking the drug when the disease tends to improve. Do not suddenly stop taking the medicine.

Depression is a psychological disease, in addition to using the right medicine, the effectiveness of the treatment also depends greatly on the ability of the psychologist. Therefore, people with depression need to be examined and treated at reputable addresses, with highly specialized and experienced doctors.
One of the effective treatments for depression, highly appreciated by many patients and professionals, is the Psychology clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.
As an outpatient treatment center, the clinic is invested with a system of modern equipment and facilities, in order to create a comfortable space for patients to examine and consult, to easily open their hearts and share their pressures. psychological force, effective support for the treatment process.
The clinic owns a team of medical doctors, psychologists from leading hospitals and centers in the country. Among them are many lecturers and professors teaching psychiatry at Hanoi Medical University. With experience and high professional ability:
MSc. Doctor Nguyen Van Phi MSc. Doctor Pham Thanh Luan MSc. Doctor Nguyen Trong Hien Master, Doctor Nguyen Minh Quyet Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi Hoa The clinic is capable of deploying psychological tests, intensive psychotherapy to serve medical work.