Depression is a mental illness that causes you to not enjoy life. People who suffer from depression often struggle finding interest and happiness in the things they used to enjoy. Often they will not want to get out of bed in the morning, or will lose interest in doing things. Depression can be a debilitating illness for those who suffer from it, as well as the people they love.
Most depression is treated in primary care doctor's offices. At Hampstead Internal Medicine we treat patients with depression every day. It is very rewarding to help people to feel better and to become more functional.
The first thing we will do in evaluating depression is look for other physical causes of your mental illness. The mind and the body are closely tied together. Sometimes depression is caused by issues such as hormone or metabolic imbalances. We will talk to you about your symptoms and recommend testing if it is indicated.
Medications (pills) are not always useful for treating depression, but sometimes they help. Other times counselling can help, or adjustments to diet, exercise, and physical activity. Depression is often a multifactoral problem and may require adjustments to several aspects of your lifestyle for the best improvement.
If you think you might be suffering from depression or other mental or physical illness please come see Doctor Manning and Holly Kilian, FNP, at Hampstead Internal Medicine for an evaluation.
Are pills required to treat depression?
Sometimes pills may help to treat your symptoms of depression, though they rarely work quickly. Other times there may be a metabolic or hormonal cause. One important way to treat depression is by increasing your physical activity. Another often overlooked way to treat depression is by increasing socialization and decreasing loneliness. Finally, counselling is very helpful in treating depression.
IF you require medicine, it will only be a part of the treatment for depression. Often, depression can be sucessfully treated without new pills.
Is depression dangerous?
Yes. Depression is real, and it can be dangerous. Depression can lead to suicide. Even short of that, depression can cause patients to suffer when they do not have to, or to be isolated socially. If you think you might be suffering from depression please seek professional help.