If you have imbalanced chemicals that affect thoughts, moods, appetite, sleep, and behavior, you may have a higher risk of developing depression. If a close relative suffers from depression, you are also more likely to have this condition because there is a genetic factor involved in its development. Your brain’s structure can also impact your chances of developing depression. Having a frontal lobe that is less active than normal is associated with suffering from a major depressive episode.

Substance use, as well as certain medical conditions, are also risk factors. Suffering from insomnia, chronic illnesses, cancer, and other conditions can affect your chances of developing depression.

Some of the symptoms of depression include:

• Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
• Loss of interest
• Changes in appetite
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Loss of energy or increased fatigue
• Unexplained physical problems,like back pain or headaches
• Feeling worthless or guilt
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
• Loss of sexual desire

In order to receive a diagnosis of depression, these symptoms must be present for at least two weeks. Depression can affect anyone at any age, though it is most common for the first episodes to begin during the adolescent stage.

There are different types of depression and they each require specialized treatment. They include:

• Major depressive disorder (MDD)
• Persistent depressive disorder (PDD)
• Bipolar disorder
• Postpartum depression (PPD)
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

To help them deal with the symptoms of depression, many people turn to substances like alcohol and drugs. Although it may seem as though these substances help manage depression, they can actually make depression worse. A substance use disorder can trigger or intensify feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loneliness. Drugs and alcohol also affect your body’s natural dopamine production, making depressive symptoms worse.

Depression is a serious condition and can progress when left untreated, leading to complications. These can include:

• Family conflicts, relationship difficulties, and work or school problems.
• Self-mutilation, such as cutting
• Premature death from medical conditions.
• Pain or physical illness
• Anxiety, panic disorder, or social phobia.
• Alcohol or drug misuse
• Excess weight or obesity, can lead to heart disease and diabetes
• Social isolation
• Suicidal feelings, suicide attempts, or suicide

Recognizing that depression can cause physical health problems can help a person seek treatment and make changes to help manage their symptoms.

Treatment for Depression

At We Level Up, we offer depression treatment programs to help you with the mental health challenges you face. Treating depression is a complex process that requires a full medical assessment to ensure there are no physical causes of what you feel. At our center, we perform an intensive intake assessment to understand the type of depression you have as well as whether you have co-occurring disorders.

We offer medications to help treat depressive disorders. This is particularly helpful if a chemical imbalance in your brain is involved in your disorder. Some of the most common medications we provide for the treatment of depression include:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
• Atypical antidepressants
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
• Tricyclic antidepressants
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors

The professionals at our depression treatment programs usually begin by prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) because they can cause the least side effects. Our team of medical professionals can help you explore your options and find the exact medication you need to treat depression.

Medications alone may not be enough to help with severe depression, however. Talk therapy and other types of evidence-based treatments are used in conjunction with medications to achieve the best results. Behavioral therapy is the gold standard for the treatment of mild to severe depression.

We can provide cognitive-behavioral therapy, which helps you understand how negative and unhelpful thoughts impact how you feel and how you act. You can learn to identify these negative thoughts and change them before they affect your mood. Cognitive-behavioral therapy also helps you understand the motivations of others, giving you greater insight into your interpersonal relationships.

At We Level Up, we also offer dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for the treatment of major depression and other depressive disorders. DBT can help you increase interpersonal effectiveness while also teaching you how to regulate intense emotions and distress. DBT can also help you develop mindfulness skills.

Interpersonal therapy is another excellent therapy option we offer at We Level Up. It focuses on relieving symptoms of depression by improving your interpersonal functioning in the present and not on issues you may have had in the past.

At We Level Up, we offer group therapy, support groups, family therapy sessions, and individual sessions to help you learn how to apply the techniques you have learned. For those who lack the motivation to start healing, we also offer motivational interviewing.

We understand that clinical depression can affect all aspects of your life, including your self-esteem, which is why we provide holistic therapies to help you as well.

Treatment-resistant depression is one of the most challenging forms of severe depression. It does not respond as well to medications or talk therapy as other types of depression. If you have treatment-resistant depression, we will work with you to put together a treatment plan that offers relief for the worst symptoms.

With the expert mental health professionals at our center, you can receive depression treatments that can make a difference in your condition.

Benefits of Inpatient Depression Treatment

At We Level Up, we recommend inpatient treatment for those struggling with moderate to severe depression. By staying at our facility, you can be in a safe and supportive space, away from any issues in your home environment that may affect your mental health condition.

People who are at risk of harming themselves can benefit greatly from staying in an inpatient setting. Inpatient programs allow you to immerse yourself in treatment and have 24/7 medical support. Our providers are there to monitor and address any side effects and keep you safe while you recover.

Our inpatient treatment for severe or moderate depression also allows you to feel less alone with your condition. You can participate in support groups and in family therapy sessions to help you understand that you are not alone.

Get Depression Treatment Now

If you struggle with depression symptoms, it is important to get help. At We Level Up, we offer the leading medications and therapy options to help you get through this mental health condition.

Contact us at We Level Up today to begin your recovery.