A new study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health found that depressed teenagers who are not responding to medications often improve under cognitive behavioral therapy and a new drug regime.

Researchers led by Dr. David Brent of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine studied 334 teens for three months. These teens were suffering from severe clinical depression - some had dropped out of school - and had not responded to a two-month treatment of drug therapy. The researchers divided the teens into groups and noticed improvement in 55 percent of the group that underwent therapy and switched to a new drug.

"These findings should be encouraging for families with a teen who has been struggling with depression for some time," Dr. Brent said. "Even if a first attempt at treatment is unsuccessful, persistence will pay off."

This study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Teenage depression is a serious and scary condition that many families experience. Learn how you can help your teen at About-Teen-Depression.com.

Labels: depression, therapy, treatment_programs