DEPRESSION TREATMENT IN SAN DIEGO
Having a bad day is completely normal. We all feel blue sometimes, especially when we are stressed, anxious or upset about something that’s happened. But some people spend more time than others feeling sad or down, and the bad days start to add up. When a persistently low mood occurs more often than usual and won’t go away on its own, it could be a sign of depression — a serious mood disorder that affects your thoughts, feelings and emotions.
Depression is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions in the world, causing feelings of sadness, despair and hopelessness that impact normal functioning. At its most severe, depression can also lead to suicidal thoughts or actions and increase the risk of co-occurring disorders. These symptoms are highly disruptive to daily life and make it hard to get through the day, but there are treatment options available that can help.
At Achieve Concierge, we provide high-quality depression treatment in San Diego, California. We work closely with each patient to determine the right approach for managing their symptoms and deliver cutting-edge solutions tailored to their exact needs. Our goal is to help individuals find relief from depression and achieve a meaningful improvement in their health, mood and outlook to restore a sense of mental wellness that lasts.
WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Depression, also referred to as major depressive disorder (MDD), is a mental health condition that affects a person’s actions, thoughts and feelings. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), it impacts approximately 7% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year, and can develop in anyone regardless of age, race, sex or income. Additionally, nearly 2 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), making it one of the most prevalent and common mood disorders across all age groups.
It’s important to note that depression is different from grief, heartbreak or a bad mood. These feelings are a normal response to difficult situations and often go away without treatment, but depression is a chronic mental health condition that persists for weeks or months at a time. It interferes with normal functioning by making it hard to work, go to school or maintain healthy relationships, and often requires additional support to get better.
WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION?
Depression is a complex condition and researchers aren’t exactly sure what causes it, but a number of things are thought to play a role. Some people may become depressed after a significant upheaval or personal crisis, while others can feel sad and hopeless for no apparent reason. Chronic stress, past trauma and substance abuse can also increase the risk of depression, affecting the way the brain regulates moods and emotions. Other risk factors that researchers have uncovered which can cause a person to struggle with depression include:
- Genetics: Research indicates that individuals with a family history of depression are more prone than others to depression symptoms.
- Environment: Ongoing exposure to violence, abuse, and other environmental factors may make a person more vulnerable to depression.
- Biochemistry: Changes in certain chemicals in the brain sometimes contribute to depression symptoms.
- Medical conditions: Insomnia, chronic pain, and other medical conditions may increase an individual’s risk of depression.
There is no surefire assessment to determine if an individual is dealing with depression. Instead, a doctor often uses a series of questions to analyze a patient’s activity level, sleep pattern, and thoughts. Since depression is sometimes linked to physical health issues, a doctor may also perform a physical exam and blood tests as part of a depression evaluation. By combining objective and subjective data, the mental health specialists at Achieve Concierge work with their patients to find the appropriate treatment for their depression, providing them with symptom relief and an opportunity to improve their lives.
DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of depression are very difficult to handle and can interfere with one’s ability to perform everyday activities or enjoy life to the fullest. Left untreated, depressive episodes can become debilitating and lead to worsening symptoms and harmful thoughts or behaviors. Although depression can range from mild to severe and may look different depending on the person, there are some common signs and symptoms, which include:
- Aggression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Feelings of sadness and/or hopelessness
- Loss of interest in work, school, and/or other everyday activities
- Difficulty concentrating
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Digestive problems
- Suicidal thoughts
While most of us experience these symptoms from time to time, they often don’t interfere with our daily life or ability to function. With depression, symptoms are long-lasting and severe enough to cause problems in almost every aspect of one’s life. Fortunately, the symptoms of depression can be treated and effectively managed with the right support.
DEPRESSION TREATMENT IN SAN DIEGO
Achieve Concierge is proud to be one of the top depression treatment centers in San Diego. We understand the challenges associated with living with depression and work closely with patients to help them find the most effective treatment for their depression symptoms. We provide diverse and multimodal treatments to ensure a well-rounded approach tailored to each individual’s needs. Our offerings include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Psychopharmacology
Our outpatient treatment facilities for depression are staffed by expert medical personnel and feature state-of-the-art therapies so that we can offer our patients tailored treatment options for their depression symptoms.
THERAPIES FOR DEPRESSION TREATMENT
The most effective treatment strategies focus on long-term solutions for managing the symptoms of depression, utilizing a holistic approach that helps patients identify and change maladaptive behaviors while developing the coping skills they need to achieve lasting recovery. Common depression treatments include:
- Medications: Medication treatment for depression involves the use of antidepressant, anti-anxiety, or antipsychotic medications to manage depression symptoms.
- Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy for depression involves meeting with a mental health counselor to discuss depression symptoms and how to cope with them.
- Light Therapy: Exposure to doses of full-spectrum white light has been shown to help some depression patients improve their mood; light therapy is sometimes used to treat seasonal affective disorder, a form of depression related to changes in seasons.
- Exercise: An exercise regimen helps increase the body’s production of endorphins to improve a person’s mood and reduce his or her depression symptoms.
At Achieve Concierge, our friendly and knowledgeable medical professionals are available to meet with you to explore your treatment options. With our collaborative approach to treat depression and other mental health disorders, our patients enjoy a total wellness experience that encompasses the mind, body, and spirit. We customize every depression treatment plan to meet our patient’s needs. By doing so, we ensure that each patient gets the care and support necessary to manage their depression symptoms.
SCHEDULE A DEPRESSION TREATMENT CONSULTATION AT ACHIEVE CONCIERGE TODAY
The Achieve Concierge team is happy to meet with an individual to explore different depression treatment options. To schedule a depression treatment consultation with Achieve Concierge, please contact us online or call us at (619) 393-5871.