New Delhi, March 23 -- For millions of people, depression is a battle fought with therapy, medication and lifestyle changes but what happens when those treatments don't work? For nearly half of all individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), this is not just a hypothetical, it is their everyday reality.

A groundbreaking study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry shone a light on treatment-resistant depression (TRD), a condition that affects 48% of people with MDD. TRD is not just about persistent sadness; it disrupts work, damages physical health and leaves patients and doctors alike feeling helpless.

For depression to be classified as treatment-resistant, a person must have tried at least two different antidep...