A Novel Placebo Lead-In Behavior Strategy for Sertraline Dosing in a Depressed Patient Highly Sensitive to Medication Side Effects

Letter to the Editor

Sir: Medication compliance in mood disorders is a complex
process that challenges patients and clinicians.

Case report. I report the successful treatment of a 49-
year-old woman with a 20-year history of major depressive disorder,
recurrent type without full interepisode recovery, who
had previously discontinued several trials of antidepressant
medications due to side effects. Earlier treatments with psychoanalysis,
group psychotherapy, and individual supportive
psychotherapy failed to relieve symptoms of depression.