Depression

Whether mild or severe, depression permeates every part of your life, affecting your energy, disrupting your sleep, and keeping you away from the activities you enjoy. The compassionate team at Psychiatry of Atlanta, Inc., in Atlanta, Georgia, offers highly personalized care for depression, tailoring your treatment to meet your mental health and physical needs. Don’t wait to seek help hoping your depression will suddenly improve; it’s more likely to last longer without treatment. Call the office today or use online booking to schedule a time for depression care.

What causes depression?

Depression has many possible causes, but it’s often triggered by a problem you face in your daily life or a major life transition.

You may be arguing with your partner, worrying about your performance at work, or dealing with bullying, to name a few life challenges that cause depression. Life transitions occur when you make a major change, such as moving, taking a new job (or losing your job), or separating from your partner.

Depression often begins in people living with chronic pain or who learn they have a serious illness. You’re more likely to struggle with depression if other family members have the condition. 

Sometimes, you get depressed without an obvious cause, possibly because you have a neurotransmitter imbalance (brain chemicals responsible for regulating your mood).

Once depression takes hold, it rarely gets better on its own. Without treatment, it typically gets worse and lasts longer.

What symptoms does depression cause?

Though there are several types of depression, they all cause the following symptoms:

• Feeling sad, hopeless, and worthless (depressed mood)
• Losing interest in activities you enjoy
• Losing or gaining weight 
• Having insomnia or oversleeping
• Moving slowly and aimlessly
• Feeling fatigued and drained of energy
• Struggling to concentrate
• Thinking about death or suicide

You should seek help for depression if your symptoms last two weeks or longer.

What treatments improve my depression?

Your Psychiatry of Atlanta, Inc. provider takes a whole-person approach to your care, helping you overcome depression while also supporting your best possible lifestyle and overall health.

After reviewing your medical history, your provider takes the time to learn about your symptoms and complete a psychiatric evaluation. Then they work with you to create a personalized mental health care plan.

Your provider may recommend antidepressants, talk therapy, or a combination of both, depending on the cause and severity of your depression. They also offer esketamine, a medication for treating major depression that doesn’t improve with antidepressants.

You may be a good candidate for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS uses magnetic pulses to improve brain function in the area responsible for regulating mood.

Your lifestyle also has an important role in preventing and treating depression. For example, your provider may suggest dietary changes to ensure you have the nutrients needed to produce mood-stabilizing brain chemicals.

Call Psychiatry of Atlanta, Inc. today, or use online booking to get personalized treatment for depression.