Treatments and services
There is no single “best way” to treat depression because it can be a very individual experience and different things work for different people. There is a range of treatments available for you, depending on your personal needs and on the severity of your depression.
You are entitled to most treatments for depression through the National Health Service, provided the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved them. Approved treatments follow a “stepped care” model so that the services offered best meet your needs.
| Focus | Intervention | Provider | |
| Step One | Recognition | Assessment for depression or risk of depression | GP, Practice Nurse, District Nurse, General hospital staff |
| Step Two | Mild depression | Watchful waiting, Guided self-help, Computerised CBT, Brief focused counselling, Exercise | GP, Primary Care Team, Mental Health Gateway Worker |
| Step Three | Moderate-severe depression | Antidepressants, Psychological interventions, social support | GP, Primary Care Team, Mental Health Gateway Worker |
| Step Four | Treatment-resistant, Recurrent, Atypical and Psychotic depression, and those at significant risk | Medication, Complex psychological interventions, Combined Treatments | Specialist Community Mental Health Teams, Crisis Teams |
| Step Five | Risk to life, Severe self-neglect | Medication, Combined Treatments, ECT | Crisis Team, In-patient service |
Most people affected by depression are successfully treated by their GP and Primary Care Team, but if you are very unwell, unresponsive to treatment or your depression has lasted for a long time you may be referred to Specialist Mental Health Services, usually a Community Mental Health Team. They may offer other treatment options including regular supervision with a mental health nurse, referral to a psychiatrist, talking treatments with a counsellor, therapist or clinical psychologist, occupational therapy, going to a day hospital, or going into hospital as an inpatient. You may also have the following services in your area: drop in centres, resource centres, advocacy, and crisis teams.
