The general objectives of MDD treatment are to improve depressive symptom severity and functioning while considering patient safety; specific goals of treatment should be individualized using a patient-centred approach.1 Healthcare professionals working with people with MDD and their loved ones should ensure that steps are taken to reduce any stigma, discrimination or barriers preventing patients with depression seeking help.3
References:
1.Lam RW, Kennedy SH, Adams C, et al. Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2023 update on clinical guidelines for management of major depressive disorder in adults: Réseau canadien pour les traitements de l’humeur et de l’anxiété (CANMAT) 2023: mise à jour des lignes directrices cliniques pour la prise en charge du trouble dépressif majeur chez les adultes. Can J Psychiatry 2024; 69 (9): 641–687.
2.Sadock BJ, Sadock VA, Ruiz P (eds). Kaplan & Sadock’s Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry. 10th edition. Vol 1–2. © Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2017.
3.National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Depression in adults: treatment and management. Guideline 222, June 2022. © NICE, June 2022, updated September 2024. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng222. Accessed April 2025.
