Depression

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 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 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

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. We are 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.

How to Prevent Depression

What Are the Main Symptoms of Depression?

Adolescent and Senior Depression