Health Care

From Despair To Hope: Navigating Through Depression

Depression is a severe neurological disorder that could leave you feeling distressed. If not detected early and treated promptly, depression can even lead to suicidal tendencies. It is essential to understand the psychology behind this mental disorder in order to enhance your quality of life. 

Dr. Alejandra Suzuki is a renowned and compassionate psychiatrist who offers therapies and innovative treatments to manage depression. 

An introduction to depression

Depression is a mood disorder that leads to a persistent feeling of sadness, and loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. You may experience depression in different ways. It may interfere with your daily work and also influence relationships and some chronic health conditions.

Everyone goes through bouts of loneliness and sadness which is a normal part of life. Upsetting events happen to everyone. But if you are feeling down or hopeless on a regular basis, you could be dealing with clinical depression. 

Contributing factors that cause depression

There are several factors that could lead to depression, including:

  • An imbalance of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine
  • Genetic predisposition if you have a biological parent or sibling suffering from it
  • Stressful events such as the death of a loved one, trauma, loss of job, divorce, isolation, and lack of support 
  • Certain medical conditions like chronic pain, diabetes, and arthritis 
  • Medications 
  • Substance use and alcohol abuse 

Clinical manifestations of depression

Symptoms of clinical depression can vary in intensity with every individual. Every person’s experience is unique. Typical symptoms of depression include:

  • Feeling sad, worthless, or hopeless
  • Children may be irritable rather than sad
  • Not able to enjoy things that bring joy
  • Easily irritated or frustrated
  • Eating too much or too little resulting in excess weight loss or weight gain
  • Insomnia (trouble sleeping), or hypersomnia (sleeping too much)
  • Fatigue or lethargy
  • Poor memory
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Persistent headaches 
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Having suicidal thoughts 

Effective treatments for depression 

Your mental health specialist can recommend the following treatment options:

Early-stage depression

  • Improve diet
  • Get regular exercise
  • Avoid alcohol 
  • Reduce stress through relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation

Advanced stage 

  • Counseling
  • Psychotherapy 
  • Antidepressants medications 
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
    • FDA-approved, painless, and noninvasive treatment that aims to correct imbalance in your brain
    • Pulsed magnetic fields are used to stimulate parts of your brain that regulate your mood

Bottom line 

Depression is a widely prevailing mental disorder that affects millions of people every year. Anyone can suffer from it, but the good news is that depression is treatable. It is essential to seek medical help and reach out to support groups that can help manage your symptoms, and instill feelings of hope. The sooner you get help, the sooner you can feel better.