http://goo.gl/8GTX1o
Doctors should select cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or second generation antidepressants (SGAs) to treat adults with major depressive disorder (MDD), the American College of Physicians (ACP) recommends in a new evidence-based clinical practice guideline published today in Annals of Internal Medicine.
"Patients are frequently treated for depression by primary care physicians, who often initially prescribe SGAs," said ACP President Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP. "However, CBT is a reasonable approach for initial treatment and should be strongly considered as an alternative treatment to SGAs where available, and after discussing treatment effects, adverse effect profiles, costs, accessibility, and preferences with patients."
Depression is a medical condition causing sadness that interferes with daily life, not a normal reaction to life situations such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a job. Common depression symptoms are lack of energy and loss of interest in things previously enjoyed.