Depression

Living with depression is variously described as like wading through glue or falling into a dark, bottomless abyss. If you have depression symptoms, visit psychiatrist Margaret Miller, DNP, LMSW, and the team at Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry in Greenwich, Connecticut, without delay. They have considerable experience helping people with depression using evidence-based methods, and they offer telehealth services to patients throughout Connecticut and New York. Call Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry to request a depression evaluation or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online today.

What is depression?

Depression (major depressive disorder) causes persistent negative feelings like sadness, despair, shame, self-loathing, and emptiness. It distorts your perceptions and self-esteem, making you view yourself and everything around you with extreme pessimism.

Depression’s destructive emotions persist for at least several weeks and often worsen without treatment. Nothing you try relieves your emotional pain, making you feel weak, worthless, and guilty. Depression’s other symptoms include:

• Problems concentrating
• Memory lapses
• Appetite increase or decrease
• Disrupted sleep patterns
• Chronic fatigue
• Head and stomach aches
• Weepiness
• Irritability and impatience
• Random aches and pains

People with depression often lose interest in activities they enjoy and avoid social interactions, isolating themselves from family and friends. Their work or school performance suffers. People with severe depression may self-harm, frequently think about death, and consider or attempt suicide.

What might cause depression?

There’s no single reason for people to develop depression — it’s not like a virus or bacteria that you can test for in a lab. Genetics plays a part, so if close family members have mental health problems, your risk is higher. Your environment and chronic stress also influence your mental health.

Significant trauma and life changes can trigger depression in some people. Examples include:

• Loss and grief
• Relationship breakdowns
• Job loss
• Relocating
• Chronic ill health
• Severe injury or illness
• Bullying
• Abuse

Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels) and other hormonal problems like menopause can also trigger depression. However, depression can also develop in people without any of these issues.

Research demonstrates that most depression patients have a neurotransmitter imbalance. Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin that forge connections between nerve cells (neurons). Insufficient neurotransmitters in your brain’s mood center can cause depression symptoms.

What treatments help with depression?

The Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry team offers comprehensive depression treatment that encompasses proven therapies and innovative new approaches.

Initial treatment will likely include antidepressant medications and/or psychotherapy. To improve your chances of benefiting from medication, Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry uses genetic testing to determine which medicines suit your body best. They also provide ongoing medication management reviews to optimize your results.

Psychotherapy involves having confidential discussions with a skilled, experienced therapist. They use varying techniques to help you identify and process negative memories and thoughts and overcome daily challenges.

Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry also offers ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant depression. This involves attending regular talk therapy sessions combined with ketamine infusions or intranasal sprays.

Call Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry for expert depression treatment delivered with compassion. You can also request an appointment online at any time.