Depression is a highly treatable mental wellness concern. Still, many who struggle with it fail to seek relief. This isDepression often because they feel to blame for their feelings of sadness and hopelessness. They feel it should be possible to “shake things off” and keep on living. In reality, however, depression is not something you can just will away. On the contrary, it’s a treatable medical condition that requires the help of mental health specialists. If you’re living with depression, you should know that life doesn’t have to hurt so much. Today, reaching out to a mental wellness center like Insight Into Action Therapy is one way to find the depression treatment necessary.

Do I Have Clinical Depression?

First, it’s good to note a difference between occasionally feeling blue and suffering from a major depressive disorder or clinical depression. The symptoms of clinical depression are hard to miss and may include:

  • Sadness that persists all day, every day
  • Feelings of guilt or shame
  • Loss of interest in daily activities and hygiene
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Sleep disruption
  • Suicidal thoughts

It’s difficult to live with clinical depression because every day feels like a fight for survival. The future appears bleak, as though nothing will ever be good or right in the world again. Generally, these feelings persist for weeks or months or even years, and nothing makes them subside.

How Is Clinical Depression Treated?

Doctors have several options for mental health treatment of depressive disorders. The first step is a consultation, during which your doctor will ask questions such as how you’re feeling and how long these feelings have persisted. He will also ask whether you have any of the additional symptoms of clinical depression. Subsequently, if your doctor feels depression treatment may help, he’ll suggest one or more treatment options that may include:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  • Medication
  • Psychotherapy
  • Combined approaches

Therapy and medication are usually the first lines of defense for mental health treatment of a depressive disorder. Antidepressants called SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are often useful for clients struggling with clinical depression. Brand names of SSRIs include Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, and Celexa. These drugs work by boosting levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical that improves mood. Hence, more serotonin equals fewer feelings of depression.

When used in conjunction with therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or psychotherapy, these drugs help lessen the symptoms of depression. As a result, clients learn to change their thought patterns from negative thoughts and responses to less burdensome and more hopeful ones.

Treatment for Medication-Resistant Clinical Depression

Stubborn depressive symptoms that don’t respond to medication and counseling may require additional treatment. TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, is a popular form of non-invasive treatment for medication-resistant depression. Using TMS, doctors place an electromagnetic coil against the client’s forehead and direct magnetic impulses that stimulate nerve cell growth. These nerve cells regulate mood, and when they’re stimulated, symptoms of depression often dissipate.

TMS is mostly painless, though some clients suffer a slight headache afterward. It requires no surgery, and results can be immediate. Generally, it’s performed as an outpatient procedure, and clients can return to work or home the same day.

Treatment for Depression at Insight Into Action Therapy

Insight Into Action Therapy is a drug, alcohol, and mental health treatment center located in Northern Virginia. If you or a loved one struggles with the symptoms of depressive disorder, Insight Into Action Therapy might be the solution.

Our outpatient mental health treatment center has helped hundreds of clients find relief from the stubborn symptoms of depression. Providing Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area with the excellence of care for psychiatric and substance use disorders, Insight Into Action Therapy is waiting to take your call. Visit us online via telehealth virtual appointment today or call at 703.935.8544 to learn more about how we can help ease the pain of clinical depression.