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Mood Guide

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What people mean by treatment-resistant depression

A plain-language look at what treatment-resistant depression means in clinical literature.

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Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) education

In clinical literature, “treatment-resistant depression” (TRD) generally refers to depression that has not improved enough after standard treatments. The exact definition varies across studies and guidelines.

The term can help clinicians organize a conversation about what you have tried, how long you tried it, what changed, and what options may be worth discussing next. It is not a label you need to apply to yourself before seeking help.

If this term appears in your records or feels relevant to your experience, bring a list of prior treatments and your questions to a consultation.

Sources: NIMH — Depression overviewPubMed — search portal for peer-reviewed literature

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