For most people who experience depression, changes to their mood aren’t the only symptoms they experience. This disorder usually also affects how a person thinks and acts, often having a negative impact on both their personal relationships and their ability to function at work or school. Many also lose interest in hobbies or activities that they used to enjoy, which can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Depression can also make you feel lethargic, unmotivated, and even cause real physical pain. If you are currently dealing with the effects of depression, seeking treatment is vital to your emotional, mental, and even physical well-being. Depression is a very treatable condition, and AIM: Advaita Integrated Medicine is here to help with depression treatment in Raleigh.

What is Depression?

Depression is a relatively common – but still serious – mental health condition. Depression is more than just sadness; it denotes changes in your mood that have a negative impact on your quality of life. The most common symptoms of depression include:

• Feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness for longer than a two week period
• A loss of interest or pleasure in activities that you usually enjoy
• Changes to your sleeping patterns, whether sleeping too much or too little
• Significant weight gain or loss
• Feeling fatigued for no reason
• Feeling guilty, or that you are worthless
• Problems concentrating, or with remembering things
• Thinking about self-harm or suicide

Not everyone experiences depression in the same way, so your symptoms may be totally different from someone you know. 

The Different Types of Depression

One of the things that can make depression complicated is the fact that there is not just one single type of depression. Some types have subtle differences that make them unique, whereas others only arise under certain circumstances. The most common types of depression include:

Clinical Depression/Major Depressive Disorder

This is the technical diagnosis for people with depression.

Bi-Polar Disorder

While this is a different mental health condition than depression, people who suffer from bipolar disorder do experience periods of “low” moods that are extremely similar to major depression. What makes bipolar its own condition is the fact that sufferers also have “manic” phases of high energy, irritation, or euphoria

Persistent Depressive Disorder

Also called dysthymia, this is a depressed mood that lasts for at least two years. This can still include periods of more even moods.

Post-Partum Depression

Women who experience major depression during pregnancy or after giving birth are typically diagnosed with postpartum depression. It can seriously affect the woman’s ability to care for herself or her baby, and needs to be treated as soon as the symptoms are noticed.

Psychotic Depression

This diagnosis is made when someone has severe depression and some kind of psychosis, including delusions or hallucinations.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Typically occurring during the winter months when there is less natural sunlight, many people deal with this condition each year. It often results in an increase in sleep, weight gain, withdrawal from social activities, and returns every year.

What Does Depression Treatment Look Like?

Just as no two people experience depression in the same way, no two treatment plans are likely to be exactly the same either. Having a range of options to best target your depression symptoms is key to helping you find lasting relief from your depression. Most people will receive a combination of talk therapy and medication as a part of their treatment plan. 

The second part of depression treatment will be talk therapy or psychotherapy. Having a safe space to talk about your experiences gives you the opportunity to get to the root cause of your depression, and find healthy ways to cope with it. Some of the most commonly utilized therapy options include cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and in some cases even group therapy. You may even be able to choose alternative therapies like yoga or nutritional therapy to further support your treatment.

Find Depression Treatment in Raleigh

If you are looking for depression treatment in Raleigh, AIM is here to help. Your experience with depression is as unique as you are, and you deserve to find the support that you need to overcome your symptoms in order to get back to living your life. Contact us today to learn more about our depression treatment in Raleigh, and see the difference that AIM can make in your quality of life.