Depression is like a black cloud hovering over your head. This serious mental health disorder affects every aspect of life. Fortunately, this mental health condition is treatable.
Depression, like personality disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and addictive behavior falls under a broad umbrella known as psychiatric disorders.
Depressive disorders are characterized by a reduced interest in enjoyable activities, interrupted sleep patterns, low self-esteem, despair, and fatigue, among others.
These are serious symptoms that require treatment. Depression is different from feeling sad. A licensed mental health counselor or doctor must make the diagnosis of depression. When a person experiences serious symptoms for at least two weeks, the diagnosis of a depressive disorder is usually made.
How Is Depression Usually Treated?
The treatment of depression differs from one person to the next. Typically, a combination of therapy and medication is used to treat depression. What works for one person may not work for another person.
It’s important to be receptive to all treatments for depression since these alternatives may be the most effective tincture for an individual’s needs.
For example, depression may be caused by an underlying medical condition. If this is the case, the medical issue should be dealt with first. Depression varies in severity from person to person.
The darker the depression, the more intensive the treatment should be. It takes time to assess the type of depression that an individual is experiencing and to prepare an appropriate treatment regimen.
SSRIs and SNRIs
Medications such as SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and SNRIs (Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors) are commonly prescribed. SSRIs are used to treat a variety of ailments such as IBS, PMS, PTSD, OCD, GAD, and depression.
They are especially effective for treatment-resistant depression such as MDD (Major Depressive Disorder), along with CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as a dual treatment path.
SNRIs treat depression by way of their effect on neurotransmitters. These are the connections between brain cells. By adapting brain chemistry, it is possible to regulate mood and ease the symptoms of depression.
There are many different types of FDA-approved SNRIs, notably Effexor XR, Fetzima, Cymbalta, and Pristiq. Medical doctors (family doctors or psychiatrists) determine the specific SNRI and dosage for patients.
Therapy
A licensed mental health counselor or psychologist trained in treating depression is typically the go-to solution for helping patients work through their depression.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – talking therapy – is effective at relieving anxiety and providing patients with the necessary assistance they require.
The right therapist can be a tremendous asset when an individual is battling depression. There are no negative long-term effects of therapy as there are with medications.
Therapists are professionally trained practitioners with extensive experience in treating depression. They can help patients to adopt healthy lifestyle changes, encourage exercise, build a support network, improve nutrition, reduce stress, and take positive steps towards combating depression.
Therapy is generally accepted as one of the staple treatments for depression alongside other options such as medication, TMS therapy, supplements, and surgical procedures too.
What is TMS Therapy?
BrainsWay Deep TMS therapy has received lots of attention as an effective treatment for depression. Deep TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) is a sophisticated technology that uses magnetic waves to improve brain functionality in depressed individuals.
The BrainsWay Deep TMS system uses a helmet with an electromagnetic field that can penetrate deep into the problematic areas of the brain, improving neural activity in the process.
Patients who ask what is TMS therapy are often surprised to learn that this is a non-invasive, non-surgical, non-medication treatment that is highly effective for alleviating symptoms of depression and ultimately rolling back this mental health disorder.
With TMS treatment, patients can expect to undergo just 10- 20 minute sessions, 5 times a week for several weeks at a time.
There are minimal side-effects with TMS treatments, and they are typically limited to dizziness, ringing, or a slight headache while the treatment is taking place.
There are no long-lasting side-effects of TMS. This form of treatment is available at a variety of health clinics across the United States and around the world too. There has been tremendous progress with TMS therapy as a de facto treatment for depression.
According to Harvard Health Publishing (Harvard Medical School) contributor Adam P. Stern MD, ‘…approximately 50% to 60% of people with depression who have tried and failed to receive benefit from medication experience a clinically meaningful response with TMS. About one-third of these individuals experience a full remission, meaning that their symptoms go away completely.’
As such, it’s important to consider all the options when treating depression. Medication, therapy, TMS, and surgical procedures can certainly help to treat or cure depression over time.
With the advances that are currently taking place, patients are now more receptive to the wide range of available options for treating depression.
