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Depression

Depression is a prevalent mood disorder. It can potentially limit or severely impair an affected person’s ability to engage in everyday life activities. 

What is Depression?

Depression is a word that some people use in casual conversation when they want to describe sorrow or even grief. It is not the same as being down in the dumps due to a bad day or two or experiencing the emotions accompanying the loss of a loved one.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines depression as follows: “A period of at least two weeks when a person experienced a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, and had a majority of specified symptoms, such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, or self-worth.”

About 21 million adults in the United States will experience at least one episode of depression during their lifetime. This figure is equivalent to 8.3 percent of all adults in the US. Depression is most common in young adults (aged 18-25 years), representing 18.6 percent of the population.

Causes of Depression

Scientists haven’t determined an exact cause for depression. They think several factors are responsible for leading to a person developing depression, including:  

  • Family History: A person with a first-degree relative (biological parent, brother, or sister) with depression is about three times more likely to develop a mood disorder like depression than the general population. Still, someone can become depressed with no family history. 
  • Brain Chemistry: When the brain’s neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, are out of balance, a person is at higher risk for developing depression.  
  • Significant Life Stressors: Someone who has experienced major life stressors, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, serious financial difficulties, lack of emotional support, etc., can trigger depression. 
  • Medications and Substance Use: Depression may be a side effect of some prescription medications. Substance use, including alcohol, can cause depression or even make it worse. 
  • Medical Conditions: Chronic conditions like diabetes can lead to depression. Chronic pain patients often become depressed due to their condition. 

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

Depression is not the same as feeling down or low due to life stresses or a breakup. These feelings are a normal reaction to a loss, a difficult situation, or a problem. These feelings will fade with time.  

The symptoms of depression persist for at least two weeks and include more than just feeling sad. Without professional treatment, depression will become worse over time, and the affected person may even develop suicidal ideation, start harming themselves, or attempt suicide.  

The signs and symptoms of depression are as follows: 

  • Feelings of sadness, worry, or hopelessness.  
  • No longer enjoying hobbies and activities that used to bring joy. 
  • Eating either too much or too little, which may result in an unplanned weight gain or loss.
  • Lack of energy, fatigue. 
  • Difficulty sleeping: includes difficulty falling asleep (insomnia) or sleeping in. 
  • Having a hard time concentrating on tasks, remembering, or making decisions. 
  • Experiencing physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach upsets, or sexual dysfunction (any issue interfering with a person or a couple experiencing satisfaction from sexual intimacy).  

How Depression is Treated 

At Pacific Sky Recovery, we offer outpatient treatment for depression. Our medical team thoroughly evaluates all clients and suggests an individualized treatment plan. An outpatient treatment plan for depression may include a combination of the following: 

Psychotherapy:

Talk therapy involves either individual meetings with a therapist or participating in group therapy sessions. The therapist helps the client examine their thoughts, looking for the negative ones. The client can learn how to replace their negative thoughts and behaviors with healthier ones.  

Through their therapy, clients can pick out the issues that contribute to their depression. They find ways to change the behaviors that make them feel worse.  

Talk therapy also allows clients to explore their relationships and prior experiences. Clients can learn to develop positive interactions with other people, which can help them develop better coping skills and problem-solving strategies.  

One goal in psychotherapy is to help clients set realistic goals for their lives. Through self-care and other healthy behaviors, they learn to tolerate a certain level of distress or negative feelings.  

Medications: Many types of antidepressants are effective at treating depression. All of our clients receive a medical evaluation. The team determines whether the client needs an antidepressant and the appropriate dosage.  

Some common antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This class of antidepressants generally has fewer side effects and is considered safe for most patients. It includes: 

  • Celexa (citalopram) 
  • Lexapro (escitalopram) 
  • Prozac (fluoxetine) 
  • Zoloft (sertraline) 

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are another type of antidepressant. This class of medication functions differently than the SSRIs. SNRI drugs may be more effective, but the patient may also experience more side effects. A doctor may use these medications if a patient doesn’t respond to SSRIs. Examples of SNRIs include:  

  • Cymbalta (duloxetine) 
  • Effexor XR (venlafaxine)
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How Depression Overlaps with other Mental Illnesses

The overlap between depression and anxiety has been studied and proven by research studies. Researchers have also found an overlap of obsessive-compulsive disorder to make three mental illnesses that tend to be present if someone has one of this group of mental health conditions.

Everyone experiences physical pain to some extent during their lifetime. For people who already live with depression or anxiety, their pain can become more intense and more challenging for doctors to treat. In some cases, it can be disabling. Many patients referred for follow-up care for low back pain, nerve pain, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia report having symptoms of mental illness/distress, such as anxiety.

Approximately 65 percent of patients seeking medical help for depression report experiencing physical pain in at least one part of their body. Mental illness contributes to the pain levels patients experience but also increases the risk of disability. 

Learn more about our Mental Health Program

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