Major depressive disorder treatment guidelines in China

Abstract

Depression is a common illness in the Chinese population, but very few people with depression seek treatment or are properly diagnosed and treated when they do visit a medical professional. One potential result of this situation is that suicidality is higher than it might be if more people with depression received appropriate treatment. When patients do receive pharmacotherapy for depression, benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants are overprescribed. The Chinese psychiatric establishment has published a sufficient guideline outlining treatment strategies for depressive disorders, but education for psychiatrists and general practitioners is needed.