More than just sadness or low mood, depression can impact someone’s sleep, relationships, and ability to function at work or school. It’s also quite common: in one recent study, more than 8% of American adults reported experiencing depression, as did over 15% of youth ages 12-17. At Northeast Health Services, we provide comprehensive mental health treatment with clinicians dedicated to helping you manage and heal from depression.
Contact us at 508.794.8711 today to schedule your appointment and learn more about how our depression treatments in Massachusetts can make an invaluable difference in your life.
The Signs and Symptoms of Depression
Depression doesn’t look the same for everyone, but it often involves a lack of energy, sleep issues, low mood, brain fog, and for some, thoughts of death or suicide. Many people may experience sadness, but for others, it may just feel like all your emotions are stunted or inaccessible. The biggest benchmark for getting a depression diagnosis is that these symptoms are starting to impact your life and daily functioning.
If you find yourself noticing several of these depression symptoms, then exploring treatment options could be the next right step:
- Depressed, low, or irritable mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
- Changes in appetite, eating too much or too little
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Becoming easily agitated or groggy
- Decreased energy, tiredness, and fatigue
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Intrusive thoughts about death or suicide
If you are feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out for immediate support by contacting your local emergency services, visiting your local emergency room, or calling/texting the National Crisis Hotline at 988.
Common Types of Depression
Depression can present somewhat differently depending on the underlying factors at play. Experts have parsed out several categories for depression depending on some of the causes and the symptoms that arise.
Common types of depression include:
- Major depressive disorder (MDD): MDD involves having at least five of the depression symptoms listed above for at least two weeks, though the symptoms can be mild or severe.
- Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia): While MDD involves having periods of depression that can ebb and flow, persistent depressive disorder involves a consistent low mood for at least two years.
- Postpartum depression: Many people experience a severe dip in mood after giving birth and during the first year or so of their baby’s life as their hormones balance out and they adjust to the huge life change of having a child.
- Seasonal affective disorder: A lack of light and warmth in winter can trigger depression symptoms, which typically resolve again in springtime. Though less common, some people may have the reverse, where their mood is low during the summer months.
- Depressive disorder due to another medical condition: Adjusting to life with a medical condition can often trigger depressive symptoms, especially if the person is experiencing higher or consistent levels of pain. Brain-related conditions like a stroke, Parkinsons, and MS are also correlated with depression.
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): Hormones can play a huge factor in mood regulation, and some people may have mood symptoms associated with their menstrual cycle.
- High functioning depression: While someone may seem to “have their life together,” they’re dealing with depression symptoms below the surface.
- Atypical depression: Atypical depression can involve mood fluctuations depending on the situation and includes other key symptoms like rejection sensitivity.
- Depression in children and teens: Children and teens can experience most forms of depression listed above, but may require tailored treatment options.
Are You or a Loved One Dealing With Depression? We Can Help
Through a combination of therapy, medications, lifestyle changes, and other interventions, people with depression can find relief. NEHS offers a full spectrum of depression treatments in Boston, Springfield, Worcester, Cambridge, and across Massachusetts to help you start to feel better.
What Causes Depression?
Depression can stem from a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental influences. Just because a family member has depression doesn’t mean you’ll develop it, though it can increase your likelihood. Knowing your potential triggers can help you plan for and overcome a depressive episode.
Causes of depression can include:
- Genetics: Studies have revealed that children whose parents suffer from depression are more likely to experience it themselves, at a rate of two times higher than those with no parental history of the disorder.
- Biological factors: Depression involves differences in your brain’s ability to produce and process chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.
- Environment: Your life experience can significantly influence your mental health. Exposure to stressors or trauma can influence your likelihood of developing situational depression, as can the impact of a physical health condition.
- Psychological causes: Some people just have a harder time learning to manage stress, have low self-esteem, or carry a more pessimistic outlook on life. Without the proper tools, this can impact someone’s mental health to the point of developing a depressive disorder.
- Situational causes: Depression can be triggered by certain situations, including a major loss, like the death of a loved one or a divorce, or losing employment.
How Is Depression Treated?
Depression can be treated with therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes. Since the causes of depression are often multifaceted, the treatment approach frequently is as well, with some people needing all three before they really start to see a reduction in symptoms. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to meet with your doctor to rule out any potential underlying physical causes.
If multiple treatments haven’t yielded results, this is referred to as “difficult to treat” depression, and other interventions like TMS and esketamine may be administered as a next step.
Treatment for depression may include a combination of:
Therapy
Individual or group therapy can help address psychological causes of depression and help process any unresolved trauma that may be contributing to symptoms.
Medication
A doctor may prescribe medication like an antidepressant to help rebalance the chemicals in your brain. This could involve SSRIs or SNRIs, which boost the brain’s ability to produce and process serotonin, a neurotransmitter that greatly influences mood.
Lifestyle Changes
Improving physical health can positively impact mental health, so a doctor might suggest making lifestyle changes such as increasing your daily activity levels, working on your sleep hygiene, getting more nourishing foods, spending time outside, and boosting your social connections.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy
The FDA-approved transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) offers a safe, non-invasive, and painless alternative for treating depression without the use of medication. Its magnetic pulses stimulate underactive regions in the brain, and it has been proven to make a huge difference in depression symptoms, even for people with treatment-resistant depression.
Spravato®
Spravato® is the first nasal spray approved by the FDA for difficult-to-treat depression symptoms. A form of esketamine, it’s incredibly fast-acting, with many people feeling a reduction of their depression symptoms within hours after treatment is administered.
What’s the Outlook for Someone With Depression?
Thankfully, depression is an incredibly treatable condition. With the right help, many people find relief from their depression symptoms. In fact, 70-90% of those who sought care eventually responded well to treatment. However, it can take some experimentation to figure out the right combination of therapy, medication, and other interventions, so it’s important that you trust your providers and feel like you can bring up your concerns during treatment to ensure your care plan is as effective as possible.
The Benefits of Seeking Depression Treatment From NEHS
NEHS offers a full spectrum of depression treatments in Massachusetts, from therapy and medication to more advanced interventions, namely TMS and Spravato® for those with harder-to-treat depression symptoms. The beauty of the NEHS model is that each member of your care team, such as your therapist and psychiatrist, works together to ensure that you’re getting the best care possible.
Many of our therapists specialize in depression but may come at it from slightly different therapeutic approaches, so you’re sure to find someone who suits your needs. The #1 factor in determining the success of therapy is the level of trust and rapport that someone has with their therapist, so it’s worth spending time to find that perfect fit.
Here’s what you can expect if you seek depression treatment from NEHS:
- Get started with an intake call (508.794.8711) or fill out a quick online form
- Talk with our team about your insurance and potential copays so payment isn’t a surprise (we accept most insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare)
- Schedule your first appointment with an intake coordinator (for therapy, psychiatry, or both)
- Visit a clinic for your appointments, or see your provider via telehealth
- Work with a therapist to develop coping strategies for depression, increase your self-esteem, and improve your relationships
- Get ongoing psychiatric care if necessary, with a team who cares about your whole health
Sources:
- https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt56484/NSDUHDetailedTabs2024/NSDUHDetailedTabs2024/2024-nsduh-detailed-tables-sect6pe.htm
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t5/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9290-depression#causes
- https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression
Find Depression Treatment at Northeast Health Services
With dozens of local clinics throughout the greater Boston area and across Massachusetts, we offer a full suite of personalized mental health services, including therapy, psychiatry, and medication management. We pride ourselves in our commitment to providing care for all ages and backgrounds, with a passion for helping people find their path toward long-term wellness. If you think you may be struggling with depression, don’t hesitate. Call us today at 508.794.8711 or fill out the form below to get started.
FAQs About Depression
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What’s the difference between being sad and being depressed?
It’s incredibly normal to feel sad after a difficult life event, like the passing of a loved one or failing a test. Depression is different from feeling sad, in that it lingers far longer than a typical reaction to a negative event, or there may not even be any situational factors that triggered the depression. Instead, it’s a combination of physical, psychological, and environmental causes that result in low mood, sleep issues, lack of energy, and other symptoms. If you feel a particularly low mood and decreased activity for more than two weeks, that’s typically a sign that treatment could be warranted.
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Is there a cure for depression?
There isn’t one singular cure for depression, but there are several treatment options that can greatly reduce symptoms for people with depression, including talk therapy like CBT or DBT, and medication like SSRIs, which work to help the brain produce and process more serotonin. If these approaches aren’t helping, there are other treatment options that can be tried, including ketamine therapy and TMS, which uses magnets to stimulate areas of the brain that are underactive due to depression.
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How do you cope with depression?
When you have depression, your energy is often low, and you may have fallen into unhealthy sleeping and eating patterns. While it’s difficult, starting slowly to improve your sleep hygiene, diet, and exercise can greatly reduce depression symptoms. On top of that, working with a therapist to determine and parse out some of the underlying causes of the depression can help you cope and move forward in a healthy way.
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How can I help someone with depression?
It’s incredibly difficult to watch someone you love struggle with depression. One of the best things you can do is to continue reaching out and showing up, even if you’re not getting much of a response. Ask if they would be willing to just have you sit with them for a bit on regular occasions, take a walk with them, bring them nutritious food, and, if it feels right, ask if they’ve sought professional help. If they are amenable, consider offering to drive them to necessary doctor and therapy appointments.
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Can depression go away on its own?
If the depression is a response to a specific life event, like if it develops after the death of a loved one, then it’s possible that symptoms could reduce on their own with time. However, if untreated, depression can worsen. If you find your low mood, lack of energy, or other depression symptoms are lasting longer than two weeks and are impeding your daily functioning, it’s important to seek professional help.
