Depression can make life feel dull and uninteresting by affecting your brain’s reward system and reducing your ability to experience pleasure from your favorite activities. This disorder can make it difficult to concentrate and make decisions, leading to problems at work or school. Social withdrawal and irritability can strain relationships with loved ones. Without treatment, depression can lead to serious complications and even suicide. Seeking help from your Beverly Hills MindMD provider can improve symptoms and enhance your quality of life.
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Signature symptoms of depression
One of the most prevalent symptoms of this disorder is persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness. You may also experience a lack of interest or pleasure in your favorite activities, lack energy, have difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, or have changes in appetite and weight. Depression can also affect cognitive functioning, leading to difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering details. While not everyone with depression will experience all these symptoms, it is crucial to seek medical attention if you experience symptoms that persist for more than two weeks.
How you can manage depression
During your appointment at MindMD Wellness, your provider may discuss your symptoms, review your medical history and perform a medical before determining the right treatment. Your treatment plan may involve the following:
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Antidepressants
Antidepressants balance the levels of certain chemicals in your brain, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, which regulate your mood. There are several forms of antidepressants available, including serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These medications may take several weeks to start working and can cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, and sexual dysfunction.
While antidepressants alleviate depression symptoms, they are not a cure for depression and do not work for everyone. Finding the right medication and dosage for an individual may take some trial and error. It would be best to work closely with your healthcare provider to monitor symptoms and side effects and gradually taper off the medication when it is time to stop taking it. Your doctor may recommend combining antidepressants with other treatments, like therapy and lifestyle changes, to help manage depression.
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Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy involves meeting with a trained mental health professional to discuss and explore thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to depression. Through psychotherapy, you can learn to identify and challenge negative thought patterns, develop coping strategies for managing symptoms, and improve communication and relationship skills. Depending on your needs and preferences, your MindMD Wellness specialist may use different approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, or psychodynamic therapy.
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Ketamine infusions
Ketamine infusion therapy involves administering a low dose of the anesthetic ketamine to alleviate the symptoms of treatment-resistant depression. Your provider typically offers the treatment over several sessions. You may begin experiencing the effects of the medication within hours or days rather than weeks or months, which is typical of traditional antidepressant medication. Ketamine increases the activity of a neurotransmitter called glutamate, which can help repair damaged synapses in your brain associated with depression.
If you struggle with depression, call the MindMD Wellness office or use the online scheduling button to create an appointment.
