There are various factors that will influence how well a person with depression is treated will respond to treatment and what his or her chances of relapse. Generally, after one episode of depression there is a 50% chance of relapse.

The following factors are important in predicting how well someone will respond to antidepressant treatment.

• Ongoing life stressors as an adult such as relationship or marital difficulties will place an increased burden on the recovery process and will need to be addressed with psychological therapy.
• Major childhood stressors, such as experiences of child abuse, need to be addressed with psychological therapy at the same time as depression is treated with medication to help improve a child’s coping abilities and recovery.
• Alcohol and/or drug abuse may need to be treated separately from the symptoms of depression. This can be achieved by seeking specialized drug and alcohol counseling and treatment programs. Alcohol and/or drug abuse is a common comorbidity with depression and the prognosis of depression with this comorbidity is not good.
• Psychiatric comorbidities may be treated in addition to the symptoms of depression itself. Common comorbidities to depression are:

1. Anxiety disorders (panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder)
2. Cognitive disorders (specifically dementia)
3. Eating disorders
4. Somatoform disorders
5. Personality disorders
6. Sleep disorders (for example, obstructive sleep apnea)
7. Substance use disorders (drug abuse)

• Chronic physical pain due to arthritis or injury can lead to problems such as insomnia, reduced physical activity, and extra psychological stress, all of which can impact on recovery process of depression.

In order to minimize the chances of relapse after a person is diagnosed and treated for depression the following factors should be considered and/or noted:

1. Close monitoring for response to treatment
2. Close monitoring of side effects from treatment
3. If response to treatment is less than adequate and symptoms are not resolving then people should have their treatment altered as soon as possible
4. After a person becomes symptom-free they should still have regular checkups and screening to avoid relapse

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