If you are in crisis, reach out to the Colorado crisis line at 1-844-473-TALK.
DENVER (KDVR) — Naomi Judd’s daughters announced over the weekend that the singer had died after her battle with mental illness. Naomi Judd spoke publicly about her severe, treatment-resistant depression.
But Colorado providers want other patients in that group to know there are options.
“I’ve worked with many people that say, ‘I’ve tried everything,'” said Blake Fleet, the clinical director at Chrysalis Continuing Care treatment center in Denver. “That’s something that we see all too often. It’s that feeling of hopelessness, that this will never get better,” Fleet said.
But he tells patients there are alternatives. Fleet’s first line of defense will always be therapy and medication. But sometimes it can take a while to find effective medication.
Options for treatment-resistant depression
If a patient is treatment resistant, there are three options he looks at for that patient.
He considers electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT. That’s a therapy that sends an electrical stimulation to the brain.
“It’s much more controlled and much safer now, and I’ve seen that’s been a life changer for many people,” Fleet said.
Another option is transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS. That treatment uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain.
“It’s not a one and done treatment. It’s usually a long series of treatments, but once again it’s shown to be effective,” Fleet said.
Another option is a ketamine infusion administered by a provider. Doctors say a low dose of the anesthesia drug can provide fast-acting relief for some patients.
“Sometimes just knowing that there’s something else that can be done can be a very effective thing,” Fleet said.