According to the treatment guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association, the second phase of treatment should start once you have achieved remission — which is when you have no lingering symptoms of depression and you are getting back to the life you once enjoyed.

This means your treatment regimen has been working, and your doctor will probably have you continue with it.

Remission Is the Goal

Research has shown, however, that many people move into the second phase of treatment without experiencing full remission. They may have told their doctor that they are feeling better, and, while that may be true, they are actually still experiencing depression symptoms.

Tell your health care professional about any depression symptoms you may still have.

Track Your Symptoms

It's important to keep track of your symptoms. Use the Depression Symptom Inventory on this page to help assess how your treatment is progressing — and then take the printable results page with you when you talk with your health care professional.

Feeling better is definitely an improvement; however, if you are still experiencing depression symptoms, you may not have reached remission. This could be putting you at risk for a relapse of this episode of depression or a recurrence of depression in the future.

• The Recurrent Nature of Depression
• Phases of Depression Treatment
• Depression Symptoms?
• Antidepressants and Other Treatments
• 10 Tips to Support Treatment