Depression Treatment

• Major​ ​depression​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​common​ ​mental​ ​disorders​ ​in​ ​the​ ​United States.
• It​ ​causes​ ​severe​ ​symptoms​ ​that​ ​affect​ ​your​ ​thinking,​ ​feeling,​ ​and​ ​how​ ​you​ ​handle daily​ ​activities,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​sleeping,​ ​eating,​ ​or​ ​working.​ ​Therefore,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​very important​ ​to​ ​have​ ​an​ ​accurate​ ​diagnosis​ ​and​ ​treatment​ ​plan.

Manifestation​ ​of​ ​Depression​ ​varies​ ​as​ ​some​ ​forms​ ​of​ ​depression​ ​are​ ​different:

• Persistent​ ​Depressive​ ​Disorder​ ​-PDD​ ​​(also​ ​called​ ​Dysthymia)​​ ​​is​ ​a​ ​depressed mood​ ​that​ ​lasts​ ​for​ ​at​ ​least​ ​two​ ​years.
• Perinatal​ ​Depression:​ ​​Women​ ​with​ ​perinatal​ ​depression​ ​experience​ ​full-blown major​ ​depression​ ​during​ ​pregnancy​ ​or​ ​after​ ​delivery​ ​(postpartum​ ​depression).
• Psychotic​ ​Depression:​​ ​occurs​ ​when​ ​a​ ​person​ ​has​ ​severe​ ​depression​ ​and​ ​in addition​ ​have​ ​psychosis​ ​symptoms​ ​such​ ​as​ ​having​ ​delusions​ ​(false​ ​fixed​ ​beliefs) or​ ​hearing​ ​or​ ​seeing​ ​upsetting​ ​things​ ​that​ ​others​ ​cannot​ ​hear​ ​or​ ​see (hallucinations).
• Seasonal​ ​affective​ ​disorder​ ​-​ ​​is​ ​onset​ ​of​ ​depressive​ ​mood​ ​changes​ ​at​ ​the beginning​ ​of​ ​Winter​ ​months.​ ​Also​ ​referred​ ​as​ ​Winter​ ​Depression,​ ​leads​ ​to​ ​social inhibitions,​ ​weight​ ​and​ ​sleep​ ​changes.
• Bipolar​ ​Depression​ ​-​​ ​is​ ​different​ ​from​ ​Unipolar​ ​Major​ ​Depression​ ​Disorder. Person​ ​with​ ​bipolar​ ​depression​ ​experience​ ​extreme​ ​lows​ ​and​ ​highs​ ​in​ ​mood.
• Depression​ ​Secondary​ ​to​ ​Medical​ ​Illness​ ​-​ ​​if​ ​ignored​ ​or​ ​neglected​ ​in​ ​many cases​ ​depression​ ​worsens​ ​the​ ​outcome​ ​of​ ​medical​ ​illness.

Depression​ ​is​ ​commonly​ ​seen​ ​in​ ​chronic​ ​illnesses​ ​such​ ​as:

• Cancer
• Coronary​ ​heart​ ​disease
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Multiple​ ​sclerosis
• Stroke
• Alzheimer’s​ ​disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Parkinson’s​ ​disease
• Systemic​ ​lupus​ ​erythematosus
• Rheumatoid​ ​arthritis

It​ ​is​ ​extremely​ ​important​ ​to​ ​recognize​ ​and​ ​understand​ ​the​ ​type​ ​of​ ​Depression​ ​that​ ​is affecting​ ​you.​ ​Depression​ ​affects​ ​individuals​ ​in​ ​different​ ​ways.​ ​Our​ ​goal​ ​at​ ​Vital Psychiatry​ ​is​ ​to​ ​educate​ ​you​ ​about​ ​your​ ​diagnosis​ ​and​ ​provide​ ​you​ ​with​ ​personalized treatment.

Depression​ ​has​ ​many​ ​symptoms​ ​and​ ​it​ ​is​ ​not​ ​limited​ ​to​ ​feeling​ ​sad.​ ​A​ ​person​ ​suffering from​ ​Depression​ ​may​ ​experience​ ​any,​ ​all​ ​or​ ​most​ ​of​ ​following:

• Persistent​ ​sadness,​ ​anxious,​ ​or​ ​“empty”​ ​mood
• Feelings​ ​of​ ​hopelessness,​ ​pessimism
• Feelings​ ​of​ ​guilt,​ ​worthlessness,​ ​helplessness
• Loss​ ​of​ ​interest​ ​or​ ​pleasure​ ​in​ ​hobbies​ ​and​ ​activities
• Decreased​ ​energy,​ ​fatigue,​ ​being​ ​“slowed​ ​down”
• Difficulty​ ​concentrating,​ ​remembering,​ ​making​ ​decisions
• Difficulty​ ​sleeping,​ ​early-morning​ ​awakening,​ ​or​ ​oversleeping
• Appetite​ ​and/or​ ​weight​ ​changes
• Thoughts​ ​of​ ​death​ ​or​ ​suicide,​ ​suicide​ ​attempts
• Restlessness,​ ​irritability
• Persistent​ ​physical​ ​symptoms

Treatment:

• Medications​ ​(Antidepressants)
• Psychotherapy-​ ​different​ ​type​ ​to​ ​therapies​ ​may​ ​help​ ​person​ ​with​ ​depression
  • CBT​ ​(Cognitive​ ​Behavioral​ ​Therapy)
  • Interpersonal​ ​Therapy​ ​(IPT)
  • Problem-Solving​ ​Therapy​ ​(PST)
• Brain​ ​Stimulation​ ​Therapy​ ​(rTMS)​ ​-​ Trans​ ​Magnetic​ ​Stimulation​.

After​ ​meeting​ ​with​ ​your​ ​doctor​ ​at​ ​Vital​ ​Psychiatry​ ​-​ ​your​ ​doctor​ ​will​ ​discuss​ ​the​ ​diagnosis and​ ​form​ ​a​ ​treatment​ ​plan​ ​with​ ​you.