Depression

Living with depression can be one of the hardest challenges in life, but with help, you can feel happy and fulfilled again. If you develop depression symptoms, talk to Anne-Marie Odo, DNP, at Semper Healthcare Services in Addison, Texas. Dr. Odo and her team have extensive experience helping patients work through depression using personalized therapy, medication, and for treatment-resistant cases, esketamine nasal spray. Call Semper Healthcare Services today to start a conversation, or use the online booking tool to schedule a consultation.

Depression is a mood disorder — a condition that severely impacts your ability to enjoy life and feel positive about the future. Other mood disorders include bipolar disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Depression may be mild, severe, or anywhere in between. You might notice you feel low most or all of the time, lack energy, and have trouble sleeping. Your interest in pleasurable activities fades, and nothing makes you feel happy. As depression worsens, you’re overcome by negative feelings, such as:

• Despair
• Worthlessness
• Guilt
• Shame
• Hopelessness
• Self-loathing
• Profound sadness

Nothing you try lifts your mood, and your thoughts become increasingly negative or fatalistic. You have trouble thinking clearly and typically interpret everything in its worst light. You might avoid people, start self-harming, or consider suicide if nothing changes.

Why do I have depression?

Depression doesn’t have just one cause — many factors can increase your risk of depression. You’re more likely to develop depression if your family members have mental health problems, but anyone could suffer from it, including children and the elderly.

Triggers for depression include:

• Grief and loss
• Abuse
• Trauma
• Serious or prolonged illness
• Career problems
• Stress
• Relationship difficulties
• Childbirth

Any significant life transition could lead to depression, even the positive ones like getting married or starting a new job. In some cases, depression appears seemingly from nowhere.

Studies show that people with depression typically have reduced activity in the brain’s mood center. Low levels of chemicals called neurotransmitters limit the connections and communication between your brain cells, resulting in a low mood.

It’s unclear whether the drop in neurotransmitter levels is responsible for depression or results from it — it could be both.

What treatments help with depression?

The Semper Healthcare Services team offers several treatments for depression:

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy involves talking with a skilled counselor. The team uses various techniques to address the issues that might have triggered your depression and provide you with skills to cope better in daily life.

Medication

Antidepressants increase the neurotransmitter levels in your brain, improving cell communication and lifting mood.

Spravato® (containing esketamine or ketamine)

Spravato is a nasal spray containing esketamine, a form of the anesthetic drug ketamine. It can often help patients whose depression is resistant to other medications and therapy.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a non-invasive form of brain stimulation in which a magnetic field is applied to specific areas of the brain that we know are involved in depression. An electric pulse generator, or stimulator, is connected to a magnetic coil connected to the scalp to influence your brain’s natural electrical activity.

Call Semper Healthcare Services today or book an appointment online to find the right treatment for your depression.