Depression is one of the most common mental or behavioral health conditions.
Although most of us suffer from occasional depression symptoms, major depression is a serious disorder. Its affects 17% of the population in the US. Around 3.4% of people with major depression commit suicide. Up to 60% of people who committed suicide had depression or another mood disorder. Depression and anxiety are often seen together.
Depression changes the way you see yourself, your life, and the people in your life. It gives you a lens for experience that colors everything in a negative way. It even affects how you think.
Depression symptoms include:
- Sad or depressed mood, or angry mood
- Irritabiity, agitation, or retlessness
- Loss of interest and pleasure
- Fatigue and reduced energy
- Feeling hopeless and helpless
- Feelings of self-hate, worthlessness, or guilt
- Disruptions in sleep, appetite, and concentration.
Children and adolescents suffer from depression as well. In children, mood is often irritable. The rate of depression is high in seniors as well. Depression affects more than 6.5 million of the 35 million Americans aged 65 years or older. Most people in this stage of life with depression have been experiencing episodes of the illness during much of their lives. For others, depression has a first onset in late life—even persons in their 80s and 90s.
Depression can be treated, but the first step is a careful diagnostic assessment.
Even if you have suffered from depression symptoms for years, you can find relief. At the NeuroDevelopment Center, you have many options for treatment of depression, so that you can find the approach that is right for you. Individual psychotherapy, including cognitive behavior therapy and other approaches, is often effective. For kids, treatment would also involve family therapy so that parents can work with their child to help them recover. Biofeedback is often helpful, including HRV biofeedback or neurofeedback. Learn more.