Depression isn’t a random mood change. It’s a medical diagnosis with enormous ramifications. Depression affects everything from your relationships to your work, finances and social skills. And once you’ve had a depressive episode, the odds significantly increase that you will have another.
The psychiatrists at the Medex Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Queens, NY are dedicated to improving your quality of life through prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of medical and mental disorders. This multi-specialty practice is uniquely suited to deal with the various stages of depression; They provide on-site referrals when underlying medical conditions contribute to your mental state.
How to Prevent Depression
Your Medex doctor understands that your physical health can lead to depression. For example, long-term chronic pain often causes depression. Additionally, nutrition plays a significant role in how your brain operates. That’s where integrative medicine experts can help you. Here is the list of different nutritional deficiencies and how they disrupt brain patterns and lead to a mental disorder:
- Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, flaxseed and walnuts enhance the brain’s functioning abilities and preserve the protective sheath that surrounds the nerves.
- Selenium that’s prevalent in whole grains and often taken as a supplement reduces anxiety, which can lead to more severe depressive disorders.
- Antioxidants in vitamins C, E and A — abundant in fresh, plant-based foods — flush out free radicals that negatively affect the brain.
- Vitamin D that you get from the sun and from foods like eggs and dairy reduce depressive symptoms.
- B vitamins serve to protect your nervous system, which contributes to healthier brain functions.
- Zinc boosts your immunity, and a deficiency can lead to depression. It also has been found to make antidepressant medication work more effectively.
At the same time, depression leads to a wide range of severe consequences, many of which affect your physical health, including:
- Cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure and stroke
- Gastrointestinal conditions that include GERD and abdominal pain
- Chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity
What Are the Main Symptoms of Depression?
Your diagnosis usually begins with a comprehensive interview to reveal family history and the depth of your feelings. Make sure you explain what areas of your life are the most disrupted and which situations seem to trigger extreme reactions. Your Queens psychiatrist may order a host of medical diagnostic tests to determine whether you have an underlying medical condition contributing to your depression.
Common symptoms of depression include:
- Sheer frustration and anger over seemingly minor matters
- Feelings of hopelessness and unexplained sadness
- Insomnia or excessive sleeping
- Lack of interest in the hobbies, sex or sports you used to enjoy
- Loss of energy
- Restlessness and anxiety
- Loss of appetite or excessive eating and weight gain
- Slowed speech pattern or bodily movements
- Feeling worthless or guilty all the time
- Fixating on the past
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
- Reduced memory and cognitive ability
- Physical pain that you can’t explain, like lower back pain or migraines
- Suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide
Adolescent and Senior Depression
Changes in the body also contributes to mental disorders and the subsequent need for depression therapy. The Medex Diagnostic and Treatment Center is fully equipped and welcomes patients of all ages. Teenagers and the elderly often face extraordinary life challenges and often succumb to them with depressive outlooks. But the symptoms depend on their age, such as:
- In children, you may recognize signs of depression when they become clingy, sad, irritable or unwilling to go to school or playtime activities.
- Teenagers may exhibit many of these same signs, but they may also start abusing drugs or alcohol, harming themselves, sleeping or eating more than usual or appearing overly sensitive.
- In seniors, depression isn’t always so apparent, but they may exhibit extreme personality changes, think more about suicide, a trait more common in men, seem more fatigued than usual or complain more frequently of physical pain.
Depression Treatment
Most people respond well to a combination of talk therapy and medication. When you receive the right diagnosis for your particular type of depression, your psychiatrist at Medex works with you to find the proper levels of medicines and psychotherapy to achieve the best results.
It may take a number of weeks to get the medication dosage adjusted, but then you begin to feel better. Talk therapy can make a significant difference in your quality of life, but if you have trouble opening up, the process may take several months or longer to achieve results.
Follow your doctor’s recommendations for lifestyle and nutritional changes. The specialists in this Queens facility embrace a holistic approach that encompasses all aspects of depression treatment. So if you or a family member aren’t living your best life due to unnecessary depression, contact the Medex Diagnostic and Treatment Center to make an appointment.
We can help you find a doctor. Call (718) 275-8900
Licensed by the state of New York, Medex is an Article 28 diagnostic and treatment center. Our physicians provide comprehensive care for patients of all ages in the Forest Hills, Queens area, for over 15 years. Start receiving expert care now by calling or scheduling an appointment online with one of the skilled specialists.