Terapia medicamentosa e terapias complementares para depressão: uma revisão integrativa de literatura

Abstract

A complex chronic illness like depression affects an individual's daily life and social sphere. Antidepressant medications, the primary treatment option, may lead to side effects affecting cognitive and motor abilities, and can cause dependency. Given this scenario, new treatments can be integrated with traditional therapy to improve patients' quality of life. The general objective of this work is to conduct a study through a literature review on pharmacological therapy and complementary therapies for depression. The research databases used in this study included the CAPES periodicals portal and its associated websites, Google Scholar, PubMed, and the Scientific Library Online (Scielo) from January to April 2023. Various publications and scientific articles from the last six years were included, focusing on adult individuals, and addressing depressive disorder under antidepressant medication treatment, as well as studies exploring new interventions and complementary treatments for depression. Thirteen studies were selected, meeting the inclusion criteria. The results were measured using depression assessment scales and revealed that antidepressant medications still constitute the first-line treatment for depression; however, new medications such as ketamine have demonstrated rapid and satisfactory effects for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Treatments involving herbal therapy and aromatherapy may offer a viable alternative for patients with mild to moderate depression, while complementary therapies such as psychotherapy and physical exercises are comparable to the pharmacological effects of antidepressants and can also enhance the antidepressant effects of medications when used in combination. Complementary medicine shows promise in depression treatment and requires further research on the topic and its correlation with existing pharmacological treatments.