The pharmacotherapy of minor depression.

Although the literature appears to demonstrate the efficacy of standard antidepressant medications for the short-term treatment of patients with minor depression, they are not widely prescribed. In comparison, psychotherapy is generally recommended, but without convincing data to support this conviction. We, therefore, advocate successive trials with antidepressants in any depressed patient, particularly if they have failed to benefit from psychotherapy or other supportive measures for three months.