treatment for depression
What is depression?
Depression is a serious medical illness affecting more than 14 million American adults every year. Many people equate depression with being sad. While this may be a symptom, oftentimes depression is associated with a numbing feeling and difficulty expressing or experiencing emotions.
Ongoing depression results in a persistent state of sadness that may interfere with an individual’s thoughts, behavior, mood and physical health. Symptoms can include:
- Lack of interest in o pleasure from activities typically enjoyed
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating
- Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, helplessness or guilt
- Changes in sleep habits and energy levels
- Significant weight gain or weight loss
While the exact cause of depression is not known, the leading scientific theory is that depression is caused by an imbalance of the brain’s neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that send signals between brain cells. Depression is most often treated with antidepressant medications. It is believed that antidepressant medications work by increasing the levels of these neurotransmitters.
Although antidepressants can be effective for many patients, they do not work for everybody. Additionally, since antidepressant medications are typically processed through the stomach, individuals may experience physical side effects, including sleepiness and dry mouth.
More than four million patients do not receive adequate benefit from antidepressants and/or cannot tolerate the side effects caused by them. For many of these patients, there have historically been few options. Transcranial magnetic stimulation offers you new hope and a new way back.
Resources & links
The mission of NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.
Read their page on depression here:
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression
NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI advocates for access to services, treatment, supports and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raise awareness and build a community for hope for all of those in need.
MHA, the leading advocacy organization addressing the full spectrum of mental and substance use conditions and their effects nationwide, works to inform, advocate and enable access to quality behavioral health services for all Americans.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) is the leader in education, training, and research for anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders.