It is relatively cheap, and it is easy for family practitioners, who treat the majority of depressed people, to prescribe. However, when the episode has passed, and medication ceases, depression tends to return, and at least 50% of those who experienced an initial episode of depression find that depression comes back, despite appearing to have made a full recovery.
抑郁症的常用疗法是服用抗抑郁药物。这类药物价格相对便宜，很多家庭执业者采用它来治疗多数抑郁症病人。但症状缓解后，药物治疗停止，抑郁又会重新发作，而且至少50%有过首次发作史的病人会再次患上抑郁症，尽管他们看上去已经完全康复了。