Antidepressants are invaluable aids in the treatment of clinical depression and other mood disorders, but they’re not for everyone. According to the World Journal of Psychiatry, antidepressants don’t improve symptoms in 10–15 percent of people with depression and only partially improve symptoms in 30–40 percent. Also, many people experience side effects from antidepressants that can impact their overall well-being.
On the other hand, esketamine has shown significantly better results when used alongside antidepressants. Based on the pivotal trial for the treatment of depression in the clinical setting, which used esketamine with an antidepressant, about 70% of patients have at least a 50% reduction in symptoms. In the same trial, about 50% of patients have complete remission of symptoms, which means that their depression symptoms were no longer present at all.
While some patients begin to show improvement after just one treatment, it usually takes the full course of treatments (12 sessions over a two-month period) to achieve the maximum benefits.
It is important to understand that mental health treatment plans are not a one-size-fits-all situation. Because of this situation, treatment plans may take longer or require different treatment option combinations in order to work best for certain patients. It is important for patients to communicate clearly with their provider about how their treatment plan is working. Collaboration between patient and provider can greatly impact the results of a patient’s wellness journey.
