First, compare your perception of how the treatment is working with others who see you regularly and whom you trust. As mentioned in a previous answer, you may not feel better even though you are getting better. If others agree that progress is not occurring, however, don't keep quiet about it. Talk to your psychiatrist, your primary care physician or your therapist.
Open, direct communication is essential for treatment, and it needs to flow in both directions-from patient to doctor and vice versa. A good doctor will want to hear from you and will value your concerns. Anyone who dismisses what you say may not be worth working with.
Ask your doctor why progress is not occurring. Ask how else you might be helped. For example, are there other treatments that could be considered?
You should also feel free to ask your doctor for a second opinion about your treatment. This means you or your doctor ask another medical professional to review your care and make suggestions to improve it. Getting a second opinion is common in medical practice. It can offer a fresh perspective and the opportunity to change or enhance your treatment. In general, a doctor welcomes a second opinion, and if he or she doesn't, you may not be working with the right doctor.
Last and not least, don't give up. Depression is a very treatable illness. Although some people respond to treatment in a month or two, others take longer. The statistics are encouraging: As many as 85 percent of people respond to appropriate treatment.
The article is one of a series of articles about depression by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). From Guidelines for Adolescent Depression in Primary Care (GLAD-PC) ToolKit (Zucherbrot, Ed), http://www.kidsmentalhealth.org/GLAD-PC.html