Depression

Depression is a mental health problem affecting people of all ages. It causes misery and despair that you can’t shake off. Feeling sad is normal. But if sadness and other negative emotions persist for two weeks or more, you might have depression.

Depression is among the most common yet widely misunderstood mental illnesses. It can significantly reduce your quality of life, affecting your physical, emotional, and psychological well-being.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most widespread form. Others include:

• Postpartum depression (depression that develops after giving birth)
• Dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder)
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder causes bouts of depression; patients experience manic or hypomanic episodes in between. Mania reverses many depression symptoms, energizing you and making you feel invincible. But you inevitably crash back into depression.

Depressive episodes and the symptom’s severity can intensify over time, further reducing the patient’s well-being.

Depression causes the sufferer to feel sad, empty, and hopeless most or all of the time. Others notice your low mood, agitation, restlessness, and irritability. You lose interest in things you used to enjoy. You might develop feelings of worthlessness and/or excessive guilt.

Physical depression symptoms include weight gain or loss, sleep changes — either too much or not enough — tiredness, and low energy levels. Your thinking could be foggy, making concentrating and reaching decisions difficult.

As depression gets worse, you can experience recurring thoughts of death and suicide. More than 49,000 people die from suicide each year in the United States, with around 6,500 of those in the 10-24 age bracket.

Depression is treatable, and you can recover fully. The approach EQ Perspectives takes with you will depend on how severe your depression is, but it could include the following:

• Individual psychotherapy (talk therapy)
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
• Antidepressant medication
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
• Counseling: talking with an EQ Perspectives team member using CBT, ACT, or other techniques — forms the foundation of depression treatment.
• Medication: Medication can help patients with moderate to severe depression. But it can be challenging to find the medicine that works best for each person. To overcome this problem, the team uses GeneSight® DNA testing to match you with the most effective drugs.

The practice also runs a partial hospitalization program (PHP) and an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for young people 13-18.

Call EQ Perspectives today or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online to get expert help with depression.