Depression Treatments

Depression is a mental health condition that interferes with your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. As such, it is classified as a mental and behavioral disorder.

Depression is characterized as intense feelings of sadness, despair, or hopelessness that disrupt one’s ability to function or enjoy daily life. Many people will experience a period of depression at some point in their lives; it is a common temporary reaction to adverse life events. It can also be a side effect of certain medical treatments, drugs, or physical diseases.

Individuals may or may not seek professional treatment for short-term depression.

Some people experience long-term or chronic depression that requires treatment. For about one-third of individuals with depression, front-line treatments are not effective; this is known as treatment-resistant depression. Contrary to what the name implies, there are many treatment options for individuals with treatment-resistant depression. At Bespoke Treatment, our personalized mental health plans are effective for over 92% of our patients.

Depression is largely characterized by intense feelings of sadness or hopelessness, as well as anhedonia, or a loss of pleasure or interest in activities that typically bring joy. The disorder also causes many other symptoms that can disrupt your health and quality of life. Some common symptoms or signs of depression include:

-Irritability, frustration, or restlessness

-Changes in appetite or sudden weight gain or loss

-Insomnia or hypersomnia

-Anxiety

-Fatigue or lethargy

-Purposeless movements like pacing or hand-wringing

-Reduced concentration

-Indecisiveness

-Physical aches or pains, headaches, or digestive problems

-Thoughts of death or suicide

Everyone experiences depression differently. Depression symptoms vary in their intensity, and you may not experience all of these symptoms. If you have thoughts of suicide, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room for immediate help.

There are many different types of depression and disorders or conditions that can come with depressive symptoms:

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Often referred to as depression or major depression, MDD is a mood disorder characterized by experiencing symptoms of depression most of the time for a period of 2 weeks or longer that interfere with daily life.

Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD): Previously known as dysthymia, PDD is characterized by less severe depression symptoms that last longer than major depression, usually longer than 2 years.

Seasonal Depressive Disorder (SAD):

Often referred to as seasonal depression, individuals with seasonal affective disorder typically experience onset of depression in late fall or early winter, and see symptoms reduce or go away completely during spring and summer.

Perinatal/Postnatal Depression:

Sometimes women can experience a period of major depression during pregnancy or in the months or years following childbirth.

Psychotic Depression:

This is a severe form of depression that features symptoms of psychosis, such as hallucinations or delusions.

Bipolar Disorder:

Individuals with bipolar disorder experience depressive episodes as well. Bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of mania, an exaggerated or elevated mood and energy levels, and periods of depression.

There are additional psychiatric disorders that can feature depressive symptoms, such as borderline personality disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and adjustment disorder with depressed mood.

There is no single cause for depression; individuals can experience depression for a variety of reasons. Depression can be triggered by a physical illness, life event, or occur spontaneously. Oftentimes a multitude of risk factors contribute to an individual’s depression. Some factors that can lead to depression include:

Genetics: A family history of depression can indicate an increased likelihood of developing the disorder.

Trauma: When individuals experience traumatic events early in life, it can alter how they respond to stress and fear throughout life. This can lead to developing depression at some point in life.

Changes in neural activity: Clinical studies show that individuals with depression experience reduced neural activity in certain areas of the brain. Changes in interactions with hormone stimulation, the pituitary gland, and the hypothalamus have also been noted.

Medical conditions: Some medical conditions can increase the risk of developing depression, such as sleep disturbances, chronic pain, ADHD, and anxiety. The use of certain medications can also lead to depressive symptoms.

Environmental factors/life circumstances: Life circumstances such as relationship changes, financial standing, the loss of a loved one, or location can impact whether or not a person develops depression.

Alcohol and drug misuse: Substance use disorder can significantly increase one’s likelihood of experience a depressive episode. Alcohol and other drugs can also worsen depressive symptoms.

Everyone feels down sometimes, but how do you know when to talk to a doctor? Depression often develops slowly, and you might not recognize what your symptoms are or how they’re impacting your life right away. However, if you have depression symptoms and they’re interfering with your life, call Eterne Wellness to make an appointment or to learn more about our alternative treatments for depression.