Urgency to treat and early optimized treatment in major depressive disorder: consequences of delayed treatment, barriers to implementation, and practical strategies for clinicians.

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious and often chronic illness that requires early and urgent treatment. Failing to provide effective treatment of MDD can worsen the illness trajectory, negatively impact physical health, and even alter brain structure. Early optimized treatment (EOT) of MDD, with a measurement-based approach to diagnosis, rapid treatment initiation with medication dosage optimization, frequent monitoring, and prompt adjustments in treatment planning when indicated, should proceed with a sense of urgency. In this article, we describe common barriers to providing an EOT approach to treating MDD at each phase of care, along with strategies for navigating these obstacles. Approaching the treatment of MDD with a greater sense of urgency increases the likelihood of symptom reduction in MDD, facilitating full functional recovery and a return to life engagement.