Hieee... if u r taking medications from psychiatrist maybe u ll require long term management...... if nt from psychiatrist u better consult a psychiatrist near by u...becas depression without any risk factors and 1st episode requires upto 6-9months medication...... If the psychiatrist u r visiting says u needs long term medication it's better u continue with same medication it won't do any harm..... If u r continued on ur own better take advice from psychiatrist......thanq

Duration of treatment depends on many factors. Usually, for people who had only 1 episode of illness, with a low risk of relapse medicines are given for 6-9 months after symptoms have resolved. If you had multiple episodes of illness in past or have high risk of relapse then longer treatment may be given. Some patients even require lifelong treatment. There is no harm in long term treatment as long as your illness doesn't recur. Kindly consult your psychiatrist to know how long you need treatment. I hope you are consulting a psychiatrist for depression and not a general physician. Also, you must understand that there is no cure for psychiatric illnesses. Medications are meant to control symptoms. Risk of relapse is always there.