Depression

Depression can cause such misery and despair that life becomes impossible to bear. If you have symptoms of depression, visit Haresh Tharwani, MD, DFAPA, and the team at MD Psychiatry & Emotional Health, PLLC. At their offices in Durham and Cary, North Carolina, the team offers a range of treatments, including medication, talk therapy, and TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation). To benefit from their expertise, call MD Psychiatry & Emotional Health, PLLC, today or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online.

What is depression?

Depression (major depressive disorder) causes long-term sadness and misery that affects your mood, thoughts, behaviors, and physical health. You might feel a persistent sense of loss, emotions like self-loathing, guilt, and worthlessness, and develop the inability to experience enjoyment at work, social gatherings with family and friends, or doing leisure activities.

Other potential depression symptoms include:

• Unexpected weight loss or gain
• Agitation and restlessness
• Reduced ability to think clearly or make decisions
• Chronic fatigue
• Difficulty sleeping
• Constant negative thinking

While it’s normal to feel low during stressful times in your life, like a relationship breakdown or job loss, these feelings should pass. When you have depression, they persist for many weeks and months, often worsening as time passes unless you get help.

What causes depression?

There isn’t a single cause for depression in most cases. You might be more vulnerable to depression if your family has a history of mental health disorders. Trauma and problems in your life, like money worries or the death of a loved one, can increase your likelihood of depression.

People suffering from depression typically have low levels of chemicals like dopamine and serotonin in their brains. These neurotransmitters play a vital role in mood regulation, forming connections between parts of your brain that reduce feelings of depression.

How is depression treated?

The MD Psychiatry & Emotional Health, PLLC, team successfully treats most patients’ depression using medication and talk therapies.

Medication management

Antidepressant medications help to rebalance the neurotransmitters in your brain that regulate mood and emotions. Finding the one that works for you can take time because the various kinds of antidepressants work in different ways.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy uses varying techniques to help you deal with depression. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches you to recognize and adjust the negative thoughts worsening your depression. Interpersonal psychotherapy looks at the experiences in your past and any current problems that make you vulnerable to depressive disorders.

TMS or ECT

Patients with treatment-resistant depression might benefit from advanced interventions like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This non-invasive therapy uses magnetic energy to activate areas of the brain where neurotransmitter activity is poor. Another option is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for people with the most severe depression.

Spravato®

Spravato is a nasal spray containing esketamine. The drug, widely used as an anesthetic, is a more recent treatment option for depression that isn’t responding to other therapies.

To find the proper treatment for depression, call MD Psychiatry & Emotional Health, PLLC, today or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online.