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Inpatient Treatments for Depression

There are several different types of depression, with symptoms that vary in type and severity. During a severe clinical depression, or a major depressive episode, symptoms can become so serious that it is advisable to hospitalize the patient so that he may receive intensive care and monitoring. Treatments offerered in the inpatient setting will be chosen for the individual patient based upon his personal history, prior responses to treatment and current conditon.

  1. Goals of Treatment

    • The goals of treating a major depresssive episode are manifold. First and foremost, treatment aims to stop the troublesome symptoms that the patient is experiencing. The medical education staff of the Mayo Clinic point out that this is is of particular importance where a patient has attempted suicide, or is expressing thoughts of doing so; and only after the initial symptoms have subsided does the goal shifts toward maintenance, or preventing a relapse into the depressive state.

    Medication

    • Medication is one of the first-line treatments for a major depressive episode. The most commonly prescribed medication for depression include anti-depressants such as Prozac, Luvox, and Wellbutrin, states Duke University rofessor of psychiatry Harold Koenig. In some cases, a depressive episode may occur as the result of bipolar disorder, warranting medication that works to balance moods, one example being lithium. Where depression is very severe, individuals may even experience hallucinations or delusions, which are treatable with anti-psychotic medications, according to the National Institute of Mental Health's Medical Encyclopedia.

    Intensive Therapy

    • Patients who are hospitalized for a severe depressive episode or suicide attempt are typically given intensive psychotherapy throughout their stay. Individual therapy may include cognitive therapy, in which patients learn to re-frame their thoughts to create a more positive and realistic view of their problems and change behaviors as a result of the changed thought patterns.

    Patient Education

    • Education is provided in inpatient and outpatient settings primarily in the form of group therapy or educational sessions. Mark Tyrell, a licensed therapist, states that studies show a combination of insight counseling with patient education to be the most effective way to address depressive symptoms from a non-medical perspective. Nurse educators or counselors provide information on depression, including causes, treatments, and how to develop coping skills. These sessions can also address patient questions regarding treatments or medication side effects.

    Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

    • ECT is used primarily to treat depression on both an inpatient and outpatient basis, particularly for those who do not get adequate symptom relief from other measures, or for whom medication is contraindicated, according to a Mayo Clinic report. ECT may also be used in cases of severe mania or schizophrenia, according to the clinic. Despite its reputation as an antiquated, torturous treatment, ECT in its modern form is very effective with minimal side effects. The patient is put under anesthesia during the procedure, in which a mild electrical shock is applied to the brain. Although doctors are not certain exactly how ECT works, they speculate that the seizures that result from the shock help to re-set brain chemistry, creating an immediate decrease in symptoms.

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