There is considerable evidence that simple, cost-effective, non-pharmaceutical strategies
can be readily implemented to improve outcomes in the treatment of depression. It
is estimated that 4.4% of the world’s population suffers from depression. Despite
being a major public health concern and the availability of both pharmacological and
non-pharmacological treatments, many depressed people remain undiagnosed and receive
no or inappropriate treatment. Several possible underlying factor of treatment gap
can be identified in relation to pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy of depression,
including side effects, partial remission, treatment-resistant depression and the
limited availability of psychotherapy. In addition to developing new therapeutic options,
much more could be done to optimise the use of existing therapies, including combining
available drug treatments with quick, simple and cost-effective non-pharmacological
methods: low-intensity psychological interventions, online self-help tools and lifestyle
medicine. In addition to increasing the effectiveness of treatments, prevention is
equally important: awareness programs to further reduce the treatment gap, and community
dissemination of the life skills that help maintain positive mental health.
