By MICHAELA SPRINGER
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
In the United States alone, more than 16 million adults have experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year.
About 30 percent of these episodes were unresponsive to standard treatments, like medication or therapy, meaning roughly 4.8 million people are dealing with treatment-resistant depression.
Researchers now are discovering new ways to give these patients hope to live a happier, more fulfilling life.
Christy Hart, 69, has turned to creating colorful artwork to help control dark thoughts, a struggle that she has faced most of her life.
“I can remember my senior year of high school being extremely depressed,” Hart said. “I (eventually) got Prozac, and it was like somebody took a paper bag off my head. The world existed outside.”
Then, in her 60s, Hart’s health issues, combined with the pandemic, sent her spiraling again. While she was already taking the antidepressant Effexor, Hart soon learned about a study at the Washington University School of Medicine.
Dr. Eric Lenze, head of the psychiatry department at Washington University in St. Louis, says though doctors don’t know in advance that someone’s depression will be treatment-resistant, he found that adding the anti-psychotic medication aripiprazole can help.
“The underlying idea is if you take two antidepressants from different classes, you may have a higher chance of getting better from depression,” Lenze said.
According to Lenze, 30 percent of treatment-resistant patients found relief through this method.
Hart now uses another drug called bupropion along with Effexor, and says it’s changed her life.
“Being happy is a nice thing, you know, more energy, less sleeping. People don’t realize what depression does until you start getting help,” she says.
Lenze added, “Just because it’s been called treatment-resistant doesn’t mean give up hope.”