The cause of depression is very complicated, which is related to heredity, neurotransmitter changes, personal personality, psychological factors, life events and other factors. Encountering all kinds of difficulties in life will cause us great pressure and affect our sleep and mood. Over time, there will be different degrees of depression and anxiety.

How long should depression be treated?

The treatment of depression can be divided into three stages: acute treatment, consolidation treatment and maintenance treatment.

● Acute phase, that is, the period when the patient is ill, and the treatment time is about 6~8 weeks;

● Consolidation period is the period when the symptoms of patients are obviously improved or disappeared, and it is necessary to continue to take medicine for consolidation treatment for 4 to 9 months;

● Maintenance period means that after consolidation treatment, the patient is really well, has no symptoms and can work and live normally, so you can consider reducing the drug, usually maintaining treatment for 2~3 years. During the maintenance treatment, it is necessary to observe the patient's situation after reducing the drug. Once it recurs, it is necessary to add back the original dose in time to avoid further aggravation of the disease, and then find a doctor to determine the next treatment plan.