Conditions Treated
Depression
Many people think of depression as just feeling sad. It’s much more involved than that, it is a real medical illness, and it is probably more common than you realize. An estimated 121 million people worldwide suffer with major depression. In fact, one in six Americans will develop major depression in their lifetimes.
Shockingly, two out of three individuals with depression do not receive adequate treatment which is unfortunate because there are many options available to aid in recovery. As a result, depression is the leading cause of disability for people ages 14-44.
If left untreated, patients with depression are at a greater risk for heart attacks and strokes, and the risk of suicide dramatically increases. Roughly 35,000 people commit suicide each year due to their depression.
Major depressive disorder symptoms include:
- Depressed mood
- Psychomotor activity changes
- Sleep disturbances
- Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
- Feelings of guilt or hopelessness
- Appetite changes
- Decreased energy
- Trouble concentrating
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts.
One in three patients with major depression don’t respond to usual medications and treatments. Avance Psychiatry physicians specialize in caring for patients with treatment resistant depression.
Depression Treatment
Medication
When treating depression with antidepressants, a 10 – 12-week trial is necessary to achieve remission. The dose and the combination of medicine that gets you better, keeps you better and should be continued for maintenance therapy for at least one year. The most common antidepressant prescribed these days are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) like Paxil, Zoloft® and Prozac.
Therapy
Most patients with depression will benefit from a combination of medications and psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy have been shown to be as efficacious as antidepressants in mild to moderate depression.
Cutting Edge Treatments
Ketamine IV infusions are being used with great success for hard-to-treat cases of depression. An intranasal formulation of esketamine (Spravato®) is also available now. The benefits of Ketamine can be felt by the patient within 24 hours and can reverse suicidal tendencies thereby buying the patient and therapist more time for appropriate interventions. Learn more about how ketamine can relieve depression.