Depression can be a debilitating condition, affecting all aspects of your life. Depression treatment can be provided by a psychiatrist, which is a medical doctor specializing in mental health. Your primary care doctor can refer you to a psychiatrist that can help you.
Depression Defined
Some people think that depression just means being sad. If you suffer from depression, you’ve probably heard people tell you to “cheer up”. But depression is more than just sadness. It’s a serious mental health condition that affects millions of people.
Symptoms of depression include:
- Persistent feelings of depression or hopelessness that don’t necessarily come from a difficult situation or event
- Loss of interest in activities that you enjoy
- Low energy levels and fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
- Changes in appetite resulting in weight loss or weight gain
- Sleep difficulties, whether an inability to sleep or sleeping too much
- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- Difficulty expressing emotions
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Symptoms vary from person to person, so you don’t necessarily have to have all of these symptoms to be diagnosed with depression.
Causes of Depression
Depression has multiple causes, that are biological, psychological, and environmental. These include:
- An imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin and dopamine.
- Genetics, as it often runs in families.
- Hormonal changes may trigger depression.
- Low self-esteem or a poor self-image can contribute to depression.
- A history of trauma or abuse is closely linked to the development of depression.
- Stressful events can trigger depression symptoms, as can chronic stress.
- Substance abuse can lead to depression symptoms or magnify symptoms that already existed.
It’s important to remember that depression is a mental health disorder and is not your fault. You are not weak or defective. You simply need treatment to manage your depression symptoms.
Treatment Offered by a Psychiatrist
When you go to a psychiatrist, the first thing that they will do is a thorough assessment of your symptoms, history, and life situation. You’ll be asked many questions so that the psychiatrist can determine a formal diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.
Treatment offered by a psychiatrist may involve medication and therapy of various types. Some psychiatrists administer the therapy, but some only do assessments, diagnoses, and medication prescriptions. They will instead refer you to a qualified therapist or psychologist, but the psychiatrist will still be involved, meeting with you regularly to monitor your progress and the success of your medications. Your medications will likely be adjusted until the right dosage or combination of medications is found.
Essentially, the role of the psychiatrist is to manage your treatment at all levels.
Medications for Depression
Several classes of medications are prescribed for depression. Medications are not one size fits all, so it may take some time and experimentation to find the right medications for you.
Medication classes include:
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): These are antidepressants that increase the amount of serotonin, a chemical involved in mood regulation, in the brain. Examples include Zoloft and Prozac. SSRIs are generally the first prescribed medications for depression.
- Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs): SNRIs increase the levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. Examples include Effexor and Cymbalta. These may be used in combination with SSRIs.
- Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs): These drugs work similarly to SNRIs, but are not prescribed as often as they used to be because of side effects.
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): MAOIs work by inhibiting monoamine oxidase, which breaks down neurotransmitters in the brain. These are usually only used when other medications are not effective because taking them requires dietary restrictions and they may have interactions with other medications.
Therapies for Depression
Several types of therapies may be used to treat your depression. These include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT involves learning to recognize negative and irrational thought patterns, and challenging them with more reasonable, positive thinking to reduce negative behaviors and emotions. CBT also focuses on learning healthy coping strategies to face challenges and distressing situations.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): MCBT combines cognitive therapy and mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, to improve thinking patterns, emotional regulation, and behaviors.
- Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT): IPT focuses on improving relationships that are related to depressive episodes, helping to improve communication and problem solving.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): DBT is similar to CBT, but focuses more on emotional regulation, behavior modification, and mindfulness.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: This therapy encourages the exploration of unresolved internal conflicts, their origins, and how these affect emotions and behaviors. This increases self-awareness and improves the patient’s ability to adapt their emotions and behaviors.
Often, a combination of therapies is used to treat depression based on the individual’s needs.
In Closing
Depression can feel like the end of the world, but there is hope and a way to a better life. Treatment by a psychiatrist can be extremely effective, and reaching out for help is the first step. At Health Service Alliance, we offer treatment for depression and other mental health disorders. We are dedicated to providing compassionate, personalized, and accessible care regardless of your ability to pay. Reach out today to learn more.
