Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] I have suffered from anxiety from very early on in childhood many years now and depression for about 15 years now. I have tried many different antidepressant medications . I have recently read about brain scans/imaging technology and trying to find the closest place to me to be treated. We dont have that technology in XXXX. Do you know of any resources to help me find a place with this technology?
[|AI|]  Hello and welcome to Chat Doctor. Thanks for your query. I'm sorry to hear that your anxiety and depression problems are persisting despite trying different anti-depressants. Though a majority of people respond well to anti-depressant medication, there can be a small proportion of people who do not have an adequate response. Usually in such treatment-resistant cases, the management approach first involves investigating for any causes for treatment resistance. Common causes include recurrent or ongoing stress, personality issues, or even certain medical causes, like thyroid problems, certain vitamin deficiencies, etc., which can cause treatment resistance. These complicating factors have to be looked into and treated appropriately, in order to improve treatment outcome.  Don't get frustrated or dejected since there are still many treatment options available, like trying a combination of anti-depressants, thyroxine supplementation, augmentation the anti-depressant / antianxiety medication with other psychiatric medication like an anti-psychotic or a mood-stabilizer, etc. When medication is ineffective, psychological therapies like Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) can also be effective. Regarding, your query about brain scans. Imaging techniques, you must understand that these are only diagnostic instruments and have no therapeutic role. However, there are certain treatment methods like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), which can be effective in treating depression. So, I would advise you to discuss further treatment options with your psychiatrist. Best wishes,