Depression is a mood disorder that can be devastating for people and families. It may be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with a person’s everyday activities. It is difficult to manage and can lead to feelings of hopelessness. Each individual experiences depression in different ways. It may interfere with work, school, damage relationships, and exacerbate some chronic health conditions. Living with depression can be difficult, but treatment can help improve your quality of life.

Some of the symptoms of depression include:

• Issues with concentration
• Fatigue
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness
• Pessimism and hopelessness
• Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or sleeping too much
• Crankiness
• Restlessness
• Loss of interest in things once pleasurable, including sex
• Overeating, or appetite loss
• Aches, pains, headaches, or cramps that won’t go away
• Digestive problems
• Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings
• Suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts

Causes of Depression

There are several possible causes of depression. They can range from biological to circumstantial. The common causes can include:

• Family History
• Trauma
• Brain Structure
• Medical Conditions
• Addiction
• Stressful events
• Certain medications

Treatment

Our providers can help you fight depression and lead a happier, healthier life. Treatment modalities, including medication, TMS, and specialized medical treatments, can reduce or eliminate your symptoms and help you maintain long-term health.

Medication

Depression affects your brain, so drugs that work in your brain may prove beneficial. Common antidepressants may help ease your symptoms, but there are many other options as well. Each drug used to treat depression works by balancing certain chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters. These drugs work in slightly different ways to ease your depression symptoms. Our providers are educated on the most up-to-date treatments and can offer a variety of medical solutions to address your depression.

Sweet Water Psychiatry provides esketamine treatment using Spravato. Spravato is a prescription medicine, a nasal inhalant used along with an antidepressant taken by mouth to treat:

• Adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
• Depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal thoughts or actions

You and your provider may decide, after you have tried two or more antidepressants without relief of symptoms, that Spravato esketamine treatment may be right for you. Treatments will be administered in our office’s therapeutic treatment environment under the supervision of our medical staff to ensure safety. Spravato is a very effective treatment for depression when used in conjunction with an oral antidepressant and therapy.

TMS

Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, is a cutting-edge technology approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in patients with depression. TMS is a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic stimulation of nerve cells in the brain to improve the symptoms of depression. Repetitive magnetic pulses are administered under the supervision of a qualified provider to improve the functioning of parts of the brain associated with depression and other mental health disorders.