People often wait to get help for depression because they think they’ll get better. But depression isn’t the blues, and it won’t improve without treatment.

Depression may be triggered by many things, from a personal illness or death of a family member to divorce, loss of a job, or any other stressful life events. However, depression is also closely associated with an imbalance in the brain chemicals that regulate mood. 

Without treatment, depression typically gets worse and affects your daily life. Depression may lead to time away from school or work or your performance may decline. Ongoing depression also increases your risk of getting sick.

If you feel depressed most of the time and your symptoms last two weeks or longer, it’s time to seek help at Providence Medical & Mental Health Clinic.

What are the symptoms of depression?

Though you may not have all these symptoms, most people experience many of the following problems: 

• Feeling sad and hopeless
• Losing interest in activities they usually enjoy
• Withdrawing from a partner, family, and friends
• Feeling fatigued or drained of energy
• Eating more or less than usual
• Gaining or losing weight
• Sleeping more or less than normal
• Losing the ability to concentrate
• Being unable to make decisions
• Feeling irritable, angry, and anxious
• Thinking about hurting yourself or suicide

You may also have physical symptoms, including nausea, headaches, and muscle aches.

How is depression treated?

After meeting with you, talking about your symptoms, and diagnosing depression, your provider develops a treatment plan that may include psychotherapy, medication, or both.

Though therapy substantially helps people overcome depression, simply being depressed makes it hard to participate in talk therapy. When you have severe depression or need help before therapy, your provider prescribes antidepressants.

Antidepressants lift your mood by balancing levels of brain chemicals. However, these medications often take weeks to take effect. During that time, your provider stays in close contact, monitoring your results and watching for potential side effects.

As a primary care office, Providence Medical & Mental Health Clinic treats the whole person. If you have physical symptoms associated with your depression, or in the event an illness triggered your depression, they offer the medical care you need or refer you to a specialist.

Though it’s hard to reach out when you feel depressed, don’t wait to call Providence Medical & Mental Health Clinic or connect online today.