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This week on Health Watch, we're talking about research on treating depression more effectively. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have been part of a major real-world study. One thing they've learned is that the first attempt at treating depression may not result in a cure.

The study found that one-fourth to one-third of people who aren't helped by the first antidepressant they try may get better when they either try a different medication or add a medication. Dr. A. John Rush, a UT Southwestern psychiatrist, says it's important for patients struggling with depression to keep trying. More than half of the patients in the study got better after the first or second treatment they tried.

Next: a non-drug way to treat mild depression.

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^{May 2006}

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