Depression is a mood disorder that impacts the way you think, feel, and behave in significant ways, which means it’s crucial for people with depression to develop powerful and effective strategies for depression relief. Everyday tasks may seem extraordinarily difficult, and things that once made you happy are now draining and tiresome. In the worst cases, you may feel indifferent about your own wellbeing, or even suicidal.
Symptoms caused by depression often leave people feeling hopeless, but there is plenty of hope for recovery. Below are three solutions to combat depression.
Depression Relief: Three Effective Strategies
1. Therapy and Medication
These are two of the most common treatments for depression. Patient often use therapy and medication in coordination with one another to tackle multiple causes or symptoms of depression. The most common kind of talk therapy is called cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which centers on thinking patterns and cognitive skills. CBT helps patients develop healthy coping mechanisms, use problem-solving skills, and recognize their own cognitive distortions. This therapy focuses on moving forward and learning to manage one’s depression independently.
Doctors also prescribe antidepressant medication to reduce the chemical imbalances and functional errors in the brain that cause depression. The most common antidepressants include:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This is the most common type of antidepressant, and the type with the least side effects.
- Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).Similar to SSRIs, but not exactly the same. Some respond better to SNRIs than SSRIs, but one is not always more effective than the other.
- Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Often prescribed after SSRIs or SNRIs have been tried, TCAs are an older antidepressant treatment. They are sometimes recommended for treating other mental illnesses, like OCD or bipolar disorder.
Antidepressants are prescribed by a doctor and can be used as a short or long-term solution for depression.
2. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Patients who have tried antidepressants but found treatment ineffective should know other treatment options are available. One safe and effective treatment is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
Scientists designed transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other common disorders safely and effectively. TMS works by emitting gentle magnetic pulses to the area of the brain that regulates mood. These pulses activate specific areas of the brain and decrease symptoms of depression.
TMS does not require anesthesia, hospitalization, and has no systemic side effects. During the 20-minute treatment session, patients are awake and sit in a comfortable chair, and they are able to drive home after treatment. TMS is FDA approved and is covered by most insurance.
TMS has a high success rate for patients with treatment-resistant depression and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Even in cases where medications are not effective, TMS can help you overcome symptoms and experience the best version of yourself.
3. Alternative Treatment
Ketamine is the most-studied dissociative drug for mental health therapy. In low doses, it has shown to be beneficial in numerous trials exploring its potential to treat depression. Traditional medications often take several weeks to work, or may only work for as long as a person takes them. Most research on ketamine treatments, by contrast, has found an immediate improvement, sometimes with a single dose.
Relief Mental Health is proud to offer SPRAVATO® (esketamine), the first and only NMDA receptor antagonist approved for adults with treatment resistant depression. It’s administered under medical supervision in a therapeutic room, and your physical and mental health are expertly monitored during care. SPRAVATO® demonstrates consistent safety across indications and can only be administered in a certified healthcare setting. Relief Mental Health is an REMS-certified provider of SPRAVATO® for people with treatment-resistant depression.
SPRAVATO® can be used in conjunction with TMS treatment, antidepressants, and psychotherapy. Most patients engage in more than one form of treatment while to achieve optimal health.
Depression Relief: Finding Help
If you suffer from depression, don’t lose hope! With the right treatment plan, you can conquer your depression and feel happy again. Relief Mental Health can help you get to a better place. Call us at 630-974-6602 or via the form below to learn more about the right treatment option for you.
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