What is depression?
Depression is more than just feeling sad or going through a rough patch. It’s a prevalent mood disorder that affects the way you think, feel, and function in daily life. Depression causes noticeable changes in various areas of your life, including work and social relationships.
Many people find relief from depression with treatment, including medication and psychotherapy. Even if you’ve already tried these methods without success, the team at the Neurological Institute of Los Angeles can help. They specialize in innovative approaches, like TMS therapy for treatment-resistant depression.
What are the signs and symptoms of depression?
You may have depression if you experience some of the following symptoms for most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks:
- Persistent feeling of sadness or hopelessness
- Irritability or angry outbursts
- Loss of interest in hobbies and pleasurable activities
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Fatigue and lack of energy
- Reduced appetite or increased food cravings
- Restlessness or agitation
- Moving or talking more slowly
- Trouble concentrating or remembering
- Unexplained aches and pains, including headaches
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts
If you think you might attempt suicide or harm yourself, call 911 or the national suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
What causes depression?
The exact cause of depression remains unknown. As with other mental health conditions, depression is likely due to a variety of factors, including your unique brain chemistry and inherited traits from your family.
Certain factors may increase your risk for depression, including:
- Low self-esteem
- Traumatic or stressful events like physical or sexual abuse
- Abuse of alcohol or drugs
- Having a blood relative with a history of depression or other mental health condition
- Having a serious chronic illness, such as cancer
- Hormonal imbalances from hypothyroidism, menopause, or pregnancy
Sometimes stressful life circumstances, such as a divorce, job loss, or relocation, can trigger depression symptoms.
How is depression diagnosed and treated?
First, your doctor performs a physical exam and orders blood tests to rule out physical causes of depression, like a hormonal imbalance. They perform a complete psychiatric evaluation and make sure you meet the diagnostic criteria for depression.
Then, the team at the Neurological Institute of Los Angeles develops a customized treatment plan for your specific needs.
Medications and psychotherapy help most people manage their depression symptoms. However, up to one-third of adults with depression don’t find adequate relief from medications and talk therapy alone.
If you have treatment-resistant depression, your provider at the Neurological Institute of Los Angeles may recommend transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy. TMS sends brief pulses of magnetic energy into areas of your brain associated with depression.
To learn more about innovative treatments for depression, call the Neurological Institute of Los Angeles, or book an appointment online today.
