Book excerpt: Hope and help arrives in this psychiatrist's preview of emerging and breakthrough therapies for treating more severe, treatment-resistant depression. Over 280 million individuals worldwide suffer from depression every year, with many turning to potent antidepressants and drastic lifestyle changes to help manage their condition and improve their quality of life. But what if these methods don’t work? What if, despite all efforts, an individual continues to suffer? Stubborn, treatment-resistant depression dramatically reduces a person’s quality of life while providing them with seemingly few options for relief. Curing Stubborn Depression seeks to not only explain the underlying causes of this pervasive form of depressive disorder, but to shine light on a number of non-traditional treatments, new therapies and clinical developments—including ECT, transcranial magnetic stimulation, bright light therapy, ketamine and more—offering hope to those who feel like they have none. The field of depression treatment is rapidly evolving and constantly changing, meaning it can be difficult to keep up with new therapies and clinical developments. Curing Stubborn Depression delves into these emergent treatments, many of which are transforming how this condition is managed—and offering hope to those who feel like they have none.