“Depressed patients clearly have different perceptions than researchers running clinical trials about what it means to stop feeling depressed. Clinical researchers have identified a patient as being in remission from depression, based on certain behaviors or symptoms, but the patient may not feel any better. We may need to broaden our definition of remission from depression.”
“For other medical conditions, there are clear-cut treatment goals. For epilepsy, it is eliminating seizures. For high blood pressure, it is to reduce blood pressure to a normal range. It is equally important to clearly outline goals of treatment for depression.”
“Some patients may have no symptoms of depression, but they do not feel that they have returned to their normal selves because they are not functioning normally or they still lack the confidence in coping with the normal stresses of everyday life. Others may have mild symptoms but consider themselves free of depression. It's important to determine whether mental health professionals should expand their definition of remission beyond symptoms of depression.”