Depression

Depression can cause such immense sorrow and despair that finding a way out can seem impossible. If you struggle with depression, talk to board-certified nurse practitioner Kanwaljit (Kavi) Sidhu, NP-C, PMHNP-BC, at Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic in Palm Harbor, Florida. Kavi uses a trauma-informed approach to depression treatment, ensuring patients benefit from having a safe, nonjudgmental environment and empowering care. Call Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic or schedule a depression assessment online today.

What is depression?

Depression negatively affects your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It may be mild to begin with, but it’s likely to worsen over time and could develop into major depressive disorder — a severe mental health condition.

When depression strikes, little or nothing makes you happy. Your mood is low most or all of the time, and you feel overwhelmed by negative feelings like:

• Sadness
• Worthlessness
• Guilt
• Shame
• Hopelessness
• Self-loathing

It’s common to develop other symptoms, such as difficulties sleeping and a reduced appetite. However, it’s hard to predict how depression will affect a particular person — many find they sleep and eat far more.  

Depression can cause such profound despair that distressingly high numbers of people (close to 50,000 every year in the United States) end their lives. Suicidal thoughts and feelings signify more severe depression and require emergency help. No matter how bleak things seem, there’s always hope.

Why do I have depression?

Depression’s causes aren’t easy to pin down because many factors may be involved. Genetics is one, so if other family members have mental health problems, your risk of depression is higher. Trauma, grief, and loss often trigger depression. Chronic stress and unhealthy lifestyle habits increase your risk.

Many people with depression have imbalances in their brain chemistry. They typically lack neurotransmitters — chemicals like dopamine and serotonin that enable your brain cells to communicate — in their brain’s mood center. Hormone imbalances can also affect your mood.

Depression sometimes affects people at specific times. For instance, you might develop postpartum depression after giving birth. 

Mood disorders like persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) all have depression as their chief symptom.

Bipolar disorder (another mood disorder) causes shifts between depression and mania, where patients become over energized and behave recklessly. Depression frequently affects people with anxiety disorders and is a symptom of conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

How is depression treated?

Kavi offers several depression treatments at Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic, including:

Psychotherapy  

Psychotherapy involves talking to a skilled counselor. Popular techniques include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychoanalysis.

Medication management

Many antidepressant medications are available, providing additional support for patients who have moderate to severe depression.

Spravato®

Spravato is a prescription ketamine nasal spray approved by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression.

Call Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic to arrange a depression evaluation or schedule a consultation online today.