hypothetically psychotic depression

[medhelpvolume]

Let's say i suffer from psychotic depression.I read it is treat with a combination of antipsychotic and triciyclic antidepressants.How long after starting medication i should see results,because on the internet it says it may take a year untill recovery

[Peter Forster]

I like valerinababy's analogy. Recovery from any kind of mood episode has at least three stages -

1. Feeling better - some kind of noticeable improvement. Usually happens within a couple of weeks of getting on the right dose and type of medication.
2. Having minimal if any residual mood symptoms. Can take longer and sometimes may require further adjustments of medications (in other words meds may have helped but you are still not "well" in terms of your mood - this is too often where people end up, but neither you nor your doctor should accept this state). Usually happens within one or two months, occasionally longer.
3. Recovery - as valerinababy said, your brain takes a "hit" when you have a mood episode... full cognitive recovery (normal attention, concentration and memory) can take up to 6 months after you get to minimal mood symptoms.

Hope that helps.

[valerinababy]

Recovery could mean complete recovery. It doesn't mean that to feel normal again it would take that long. To be completely recovered it takes time and stability. Just like a broken bone can heal, but it still feels funny on occasion or when the weather changes.

[loripop]

psychotic depression can encompass a wide variety of symptoms. i treat people with "psychotic depressions" a lot. Depending on what symptoms people are experiencing, different medications will be used. People will often respond very quickly to antipsychotic meds (even within days). The deeper depressive symptoms may take longer to fully resolve but that does not mean you cannot get feeling much much better relatively quickly.

[Jaquta]

I'm not sure.  I personally would think that you would see benefit long before the one year period.  Most antidepressants show benefit within two months of starting them.

Full recovery will depend on other factors as well.