Depression Treatment in Port St. Lucie, FL
What is Depression?
Depression is a mental health disorder which affects nearly every aspect of daily life. More than 21 million Americans experience a form of clinical depression each year. Clinical depression is different from the ordinary case of the blues.
With clinical depression, the symptoms are persistent and don’t need to be caused by any clear outside event. It can appear in cycles (bipolar disorder) or be relatively continuous for a period of months or years. Two of the most common types of depression are major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder also has a few subtypes.
What’s it Like to Have Depression?
Someone living with depression will usually find their symptoms disrupt their daily life. Some will be able to function as far as caring for themselves and even being productive at work or school, but they still find themselves unhappy the majority of the time and unable to wrest much pleasure out of life.
One of the signs of depression is losing interest in things which you used to enjoy. The good news is that these conditions can be treated successfully. While it isn’t technically “curable” yet, we have evidence-based treatments for depression which can markedly improve symptoms and your quality of life. Most forms of depression are usually manageable with careful diagnosis and the right kind of depression treatment.
More About Depression
Depression can take a lot of the color out of life. It affects relationships, school, career and even recreation and hobbies. Depending on the type, it can make you more likely to encounter legal issues or take unnecessary risks. There are therapeutic interventions and treatment methods which are proven effective for most cases of depression.
If you or someone you love is living with this type of mental health challenge, or you just want to learn more about them, we have prepared a brief summary of 6 major types of disorders below. Please note that this is an incomplete list as depression is complex and there are lots of types and variations.
The 5 Main Types of Depression are:
Major Depression
Bipolar I Disorder
Bipolar II Disorder
Cyclothymic Disorder
Psychotic Depression
Major Depression
The most common type, Major depression may be diagnosed when a person experiences consistent symptoms for more than weeks. Symptoms can include sadness or flat mood, a loss of interest in things you used to enjoy and lack of motivation. The symptoms are often easy to identify, but people aren’t always fully aware of their depression until someone else notices the signs and asks them about them.
Bipolar I Disorder
There are three major types of bipolar disorder. Bipolar I Disorder is the type most people are familiar with. Bipolar I Disorder is characterized with manic episodes which last at least a week interspersed with depressive episodes which usually last 2 weeks or more. A person with Bipolar I Disorder will often require hospital care during a manic episode. Their behavior during mania can be extreme and erratic making them a potential danger to themselves or others at times. Medication compliance is absolutely essential to managing Bipolar I Disorder properly.
Bipolar II Disorder
Bipolar II Disorder is lesser known and notoriously tricky to diagnose. Depressive episodes and hypomanic symptoms are a feature of Bipolar II as well, but patients do not experience the full-blown mania that Bipolar I patients do. Depressive episodes are typically less severe and may last much longer. The more subtle presentation of symptoms is what can make Bipolar II Disorder a bit harder to diagnose.
Cyclothymic Disorder
Cyclothymic Disorder or Cyclothymia is another form of bipolar disorder which is less well-known. It is defined by hypomanic symptoms as well as depressive symptoms which last for at least 2 years. These symptoms are also less severe than they appear in patients with Bipolar I Disorder.
Psychotic Depression
Psychotic depression is one of the more severe forms of depressive disorders. Psychosis is a trait that sometimes coincides with other disorders. In this case psychotic symptoms like delusions and hallucinations accompany symptoms of major depression. This can make this disorder more challenging to treat, but with proper diagnosis there are effective, evidence-based measures including talk therapy, antidepressants, antipsychotics. Electroconvulsive therapy has also been proven quite effective for this condition.
Depression Treatment at NP Addiction Clinic
At The Neuro Psychiatric Addiction Clinic we utilize evidence-based treatment with a holistic approach. Evidence-based treatment involves methods of care which are supported by clinical research. This means at NP Addiction Clinic, we use methods that are based upon scientifically validated evidence and shown to work.
Depression is a complex disorder and successful treatment requires careful diagnosis and an individualized treatment plan. This is why we put a lot of focus on the diagnosis when it comes to our treatment for depression and other disorders here. Treatment starts with the diagnosis. Mental health treatment is much too important not to get that right.