Life is a complex journey. As you navigate this challenging journey, it is natural to feel overwhelmed or experience sadness and depression at times. Your mood can be affected by life events, sleep, nutrition habits, relationships with others, and even changes in the weather. However, if your mood affects your ability to complete daily activities like eating and sleeping normally, completing your schoolwork or work, or maintaining relationships with loved ones, something more serious might be transpiring. Our depression treatment program could make a difference.
Harmony, A Member or Transformations Care Network, offers comprehensive mental health treatment programs to help you get back to thriving. Our depression treatment center can assist clients in identifying the signs of depression and working towards managing their depression to improve their overall mental health. Reach out to us at 304.410.0082 today to learn more about our depression treatment programs and how getting help can make a difference.
What Is Depression?
Depression is formally diagnosed as major depressive disorder (MDD). It is a common but serious mood disorder in which a person experiences low moods that affect their ability to think, feel, and act the way they usually would. There is no “cure” for depression. However, treatment is available that can help people with depression find joy and retake control of their lives.
The Symptoms and Signs of Depression
Although depression is a unique experience for everyone, some tell-tale signs and symptoms may signify this condition. It’s important to remember that someone with depression may not experience all these symptoms. The symptoms they experience can vary in severity. If you are experiencing five or more of these common symptoms of depression, you might benefit from a depression treatment program:
- Cognitive disturbances, including difficulty thinking, focusing, or making decisions
- Fidgeting or moving more slowly than usual
- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Changes in appetite, including eating much more or less than usual
- Low or depressed mood every day for more than two weeks
- Sleep disturbances, including sleeping much more or less than usual
- Losing interest in activities that used to be enjoyable or meaningful
- Intrusive thoughts about death or suicide
People with depression experience symptoms like the ones above that disrupt their usual functioning and get in the way of living and pursuing their passions. It is essential to recognize that depression has numerous variations and can manifest differently in men and women.
Depression is not the only condition that can cause these symptoms. Medical conditions like certain thyroid disorders and vitamin deficiencies can also include symptoms like low mood, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Make an appointment with your doctor to rule out possible underlying or contributing medical conditions and confirm your diagnosis is as accurate as possible.
Causes of Depression
Depression is a complex condition that can affect anyone, even if it appears they have “no reason” to be depressed. Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that depression is caused by genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
Genetic Causes
Is there a history of depression in your family? Like other conditions, depression can run in the family. Studies have shown that the offspring of parents with depression are more than twice as likely to experience this mental health disorder compared to children whose parents don’t suffer from it.
Biological Causes
Several biochemicals in your body impact your mood, including neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. Differences in how someone’s body handles these chemicals can affect their risk of developing depression.
Environmental Causes
Depression is a mental health disorder. Many psychological elements can influence its development. Those who do not have healthy methods of coping with stress, who have low self-esteem or self-worth, and who otherwise exhibit pessimistic psychology are more likely to develop depression.
Psychological Causes
Depression is a psychological disorder, and various psychological factors can impact it. People who do not have healthy methods of coping with stress, who have low self-esteem or self-worth, and who otherwise exhibit pessimistic psychology are more likely to develop depression.
How Our Depression Treatment Program Can Transform Your Life
Since the causes of depression vary, so too do its treatments. Because depression involves some physical and mental risk factors, and certain medical conditions can cause depression-like symptoms. The first step in finding the proper depression treatment includes having a thorough diagnostic evaluation by a physician. Once your physician understands the factors causing your depression, they can build a treatment plan to address your unique situation.
Treatment for depression may include:
- Lifestyle changes – Improving physical health can positively impact mental health, so a doctor might suggest making lifestyle changes such as taking vitamins or increasing exercise.
- Spravato® – Safely used as an anesthetic in hospitals for decades, recent research suggests that Spravato® shows promise in individuals with severe depression that haven’t responded to other medications or therapy.
- Medication – If biochemistry is a factor in your depression, a doctor may prescribe antidepressants to help rebalance the chemicals in your brain.
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy – TMS is an FDA-approved depression treatment that uses painless magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain that are less active in people with depression. It is a non-invasive, non-drug alternative that can be effective even for people with treatment-resistant depression.
- Therapy – Individual or group therapy can help address psychological causes of depression and resolve trauma that may be causing symptoms.
Our depression treatment center could transform your life. Call Harmony today to learn more and to get help finding a suitable program for you or a loved one.
Benefits of a Depression Therapy Program
Participating in our depression therapy program can help you to:
- Develop healthy coping strategies for depression symptoms
- Enjoy activities and experiences that depression may have made difficult in the past
- Learn how to manage depression triggers
- Regain control of your moods, thoughts, and emotions
- Improve relationships with family and friends
- Increase self-esteem and confidence
- Take an active role in your depression treatment plan
We understand depression and how it affects individuals and families. Our team is committed to providing effective mental health services with compassion, understanding, and respect.
Learn More About Our Depression Treatment at Harmony
We’re dedicated to helping people in our communities access life-changing mental health care. Our services aim to meet the needs of individuals, couples, families, children, teens, young adults, and everyone in between. Our depression treatment program can help give clients the tools and resources they need to stay healthy and maintain their mental well-being. If you believe you are experiencing signs of depression, contact us at 304.410.0082 or online to learn what our compassionate care providers can do for you.