"YOU CAN'T STOP THE WAVES, BUT YOU CAN LEARN TO SURF" - Jon Kabat-Zinn

Does Successful Depression Treatment Really Mean Perpetual Happiness?

“I just want to be happy.” Cynthia* shrugged her shoulders wearily.  “I mean, why is my depression treatment not working any more?

Cynthia had two prior severe depressive episodes but had been pleased over the past 3 years that her psychotherapy and medication were keeping her in check, enabling her to function well and enjoy her family and career.  In her mind depression treatment was working — until now.

“Lately, I feel this sense of despair, on the verge of tears and so worried. I thought the medication was supposed to make me happy.  What’s wrong with my depression treatment?”

I suggested that in order to understand what may be causing a worsening of her depression, she consider if there was anything going on in her life that might be causing her to worry and be more upset.

Cynthia tensed up and started wringing her hands nervously. “Oh things were going pretty well, but two weeks ago I lost my job and now that I’m home more, I’ve discovered that my son Charlie has been smoking marijuana  – I can’t believe he is using pot after all our warnings!  What else is he getting into!”?

“What would you think if you were not uncomfortable with your son’s behavior or you were okay with losing your job?” I asked.

Cynthia paused and looked around. “I guess that wouldn’t be normal…whatever that means.”

“Exactly.  Feeling upset and sad when you are faced with the loss of your job and problems with your son is understandable.”  I then asked, “Even though you’re upset and sad, are you doing what you need to adjust?

Cynthia paused.  “Well, my husband and I plan on meeting with Charlie for a talk.  And I’m sending out my resume daily and am already going to interviews.”

Is Depression Treatment Really Not working?

“So why do you think your depression treatment is not working?” I pressed.

“Because I’m not happy anymore,” tears were gradually falling down her cheeks. “I’m just so sad about this.”  She then went on to clarify that, while she was sad about her family and career situations, she was grateful that she had the support of her husband and her friends, and she was able to laugh and feel like her normal self most of the time.

All things considered, she was actually functioning quite well!

Successful psychiatric depression treatment, whether through psychotherapy, medication or an intervention such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), makes it possible to once again experience renewed energy, motivation and interest in life.  Nevertheless, when faced with life stresses and transitions, depression treatment should still allow patients to experience a full range of emotions — including appropriate sadness and worry in response to life’s challenges.  With successful treatment comes the ability to function productively and emerge intact and fully functional.

Authentic Living With Depression Treatment:  Surfing, Not Skating

The purpose of psychiatric treatment is to experience life healthfully, not to numb people against feeling the normal discomforts and challenges of life.

To expect life to be a simple skate across the lake is unreasonable.  Like an ocean, life involves waves of challenges, without which we would not appreciate happiness from good fortune or success.

Successful depression treatment — and mental health in general — is being able to ride the waves of life and to appreciate and enjoy life when given the opportunity.

———————————–

*Cynthia is a fictitious name.  This post reflects a common interaction I have had with multitudes of patients.

If you liked our post on depression treatment goals, check out our other blog posts.

DEPRESSION IN LOS ANGELES

According to a new report issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, nearly 14 percent of adults across the country report that in their lifetime they have been diagnosed with a depressive disorder. This is an increase of almost 50 percent from the nine percent who reported having a depressive disorder in 1999.

Although the increase is significant, health department officials note that the higher number of reports most likely reflects a greater awareness about depression, and not necessarily an actual increase in the number of people who suffer from depressive disorders.

Depression is a serious clinical illness that interferes with a person’s ability to function, and it can last for weeks, months or even years. Depression in Los Angeles, like in other areas of the country, places a serious burden on the health and well being of society.

Several other key findings from the report about depression in Los Angeles include:

• Rates of depression in Los Angeles increased across all racial and ethnic groups, but Asians and Pacific Islanders consistently reported the lowest rates. However, this may only point to a lower recognition of depression within this ethnic group.

• Depression in Los Angeles is incongruous between sexes, with women in LA County reporting higher rates of depression diagnoses than men. While both genders saw increases; it was greater for women (11 to 17 percent) than for men (7 to 10 percent).

• Other chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, often co-occur with depressive disorders. Depression in Los Angeles is also sometimes linked to risky health behaviors, such as heavy drinking and smoking.

The report highlighted various ways that healthcare providers, families, friends, and even elected officials and businesses can help address those suffering from depression in Los Angeles. Some of its suggestions include:

• Having culturally sensitive mental healthcare and linguistically diverse services available to the community suffering from depression in Los Angeles County.

• Promoting a stigma-free work environment.

• Advocating for treatment and insurance reimbursement guaranteeing equal coverage of physical and mental health conditions, including depression, in Los Angeles.

• Providing emotional support to friends and family suffering from a depressive disorder.

If you feel that you may need treatment for depression, West Coast TMS Institute in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles is available to help you. Contact us if you feel you would like to seek treatment for depression; set up a psychiatric consultation and explore your options further.

If you found this blog on depression in los angeles interesting, or are generally interested in behavioral health issues, click on our following link on ADHD, Did Ferdinand the Bull Have ADHD?

Depression Symptoms Can Be Serious

The Five Most Common Depression Symptoms

Everybody goes through certain periods of “feeling down” or has a bout with “the blues.”  Stress and anxiety from work and family life can cause frustration from time to time and are a normal response to dealing with life’s challenges. It is when these negative feelings persist over time, however, that they can be an indicator of something more serious, like the beginning of depression symptoms.

Clinical depression is more common than you may think. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association estimates that 25 percent of women and 12 percent of men will develop major depression symptoms over the course of their lifetime. At these rates, it is likely that you or someone you know will struggle with depression symptoms at some point, which is why it is important to know some of the most common symptoms of depression.

Key indicators of depression symptoms

For some individuals, the feelings they have and the depression symptoms they exhibit may be so severe that it’s obvious that what they’re going through is beyond a temporary mood swing. For others, however, they may just feel generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing why. For all of these reasons, it is important to know some of the more common depression symptoms, which are:

1. Feelings of sadness or melancholy. This may be represented by a sustained and pervasive sense of unhappiness. It may also include an unusual irritability or frustration, even over small problems.
2. Lack of pleasure or interest in activities previously enjoyed. Little to no interest in former hobbies, pastimes, social activities or sex are common depression symptoms. This may include one’s attitude toward diet and appetite, and significant weight loss or gain—as represented by a change of more than 5 percent of body weight in a month, for example—are both commonly attributed to depression.
3. Self-loathing and feelings of worthlessness. It is common for a person with depression symptoms to regularly self-criticize for perceived faults and dwell on mistakes. This may present itself in the form of fixating on past failures or blaming oneself when things are not going well.
4. Physical and/or mental exhaustion. This is often demonstrated by unusual fatigue, tiredness and a loss of energy. The person’s whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks may seem exhausting or take longer to complete. Exhaustion may be connected to both insomnia and excessive sleeping, as both are common in patients exhibiting depression symptoms. Other physical manifestations of depression may show themselves in the form of increased incidence of headaches, back pain, aching muscles and stomach pain.
5. Thoughts of not going on, or even death. This is one of the most serious depression symptoms at any age. Suicidal thinking is a sign of serious depression that should never be taken lightly. Of all people with depression, older adult men are at the highest risk of successfully committing suicide. If you are seriously considering suicide, it is important to seek emergency psychiatric care, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room to get help, because depression symptoms are treatable. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can also be reached by calling 1-800-273-8255.

There’s no reason to lose hope to alleviate your depression symptoms

It is important to remember that depression is a medical illness that affects both the mind and the body. Like other major illnesses, it usually requires professional treatment.

If you feel that you have these depression symptoms and that you may need depression help, including those suffering from prenatal depression, consider contacting your general doctor to get a referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist. If you have already had trouble responding to antidepressant medication or have had intolerable side effects, West Coast TMS Institute, located in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, provides a proven, FDA-approved, non-invasive and non-drug treatment for depression called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS. You can contact us at 818-855-1694 if you feel you may be experiencing depression symptoms and would like to set up a consultation. After learning about the most common depression symptoms you may want to learn more about obtaining depression help.

Causes of Depression, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Clinical depression, or more correctly major depressive disorder, is a debilitating condition that affects in excess of 17 million Americans each and every year.  Low socioeconomic, minority and single statuses are each separate risk factors for the development of clinical depression.  After puberty, women are more than twice as likely as men to experience a depressive episode, probably secondary to socioeconomic differences, multiple role transitions and hormonal fluctuations, as well as increased vulnerability to traumatic experiences.

But what are the actual causes of depression? In addition to looking at the various causes of depression, we will also touch on some of the treatments that are available. Read the rest of this entry »