Recovery from Depression

Full recovery from depression, as contrasted with symptom improvement, is a relatively new concept and therapeutic goal. It is an important goal, because the failure to achieve this goal leaves many patients with less productive and fulfilling lives, it leaves some children with lasting deficits, and it deprives families and societies of loved ones’ and employees’ care and investment. As a new therapeutic concept, recovery from depression is not as easy to define as it might seem; many or most patients were not euthymic before an episode of depression or have had some level of depression throughout their lives. There is no measurable definition of euthymia. In addition to definitional difficulties, we need to study and address other barriers to the achievement of recovery from depression. All the barriers to the diagnosis and treatment of depression are barriers against recovery: negative social and professional attitudes, comorbidity, lack of access to demonstrably efficacious professional and social services, and inability to match patients with the antidepressants most likely to help them. Efforts to address many of these knowledge and attitude gaps are already underway. Long-term studies are needed, both observational and experimental. Most published studies encompass only weeks or at best months of follow-up, but recovery must be sustained to be meaningful. As noted previously, there has been little or no attention to the developmental impact of depression. The restoration of premorbid function is not sufficient when depression has hindered a patient’s ability to form satisfying relationships and choose and perform satisfying work. We need to learn how to remediate patients whose history of depression has stifled their talents and aspirations. Studying these issues will not be easy, but millions of individuals with depression, and their physicians, will profit by it; it will be well worth the effort.