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Depression can arise because of a specific stressor or event, or it could come out of the blue. If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of clinical depression, visit Alexander Ukaoma, APRN, FNP, at Somo Urgent Care in Waldorf, Maryland. His highly experienced psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, Maryann Dennis, RN, excels in helping patients recover from depression in this haven for healing and growth. Call Somo Urgent Care today to schedule a consultation or embark on your path to better mental health by booking an in-person or telehealth appointment using the online booking feature.
Depression Q & A
What is depression?
Depression (major depressive disorder) lowers your mood, so you’re always down, despairing, and unable to see a way out of your misery. Without treatment, depression can be devastating and, in some cases, lead to suicide.
Everyone feels blue now and again or has a bad day. It’s also perfectly understandable to feel miserable when things go wrong in your life, or you experience trauma like a relationship breakdown or bereavement.
If you’re healthy, these moods and feelings pass in time. It could take weeks or months to get over a severe trauma, but gradually, you go through the grieving process and adjust. However, if you have clinical depression, those negative feelings never leave, and, more often than not, they worsen.
What are the symptoms of depression?
Common depression symptoms include chronic fatigue, a loss of interest in life and the things that usually make you happy, and weepiness. You might have problems concentrating or thinking clearly and either stop eating or overeat. Typical emotions include:
- Sadness
- Worthlessness
- Hopelessness
- Self-loathing
- Guilt and shame
Depression affects everyone slightly differently. For instance, some people find they’re unable to sleep much or have nightmares and disturbed sleep, waking up exhausted. Alternatively, depression could make you feel sleepy all the time, so you spend many hours asleep.
When you have clinical depression, negative feelings aren’t under your control, so there’s no way to shake them off. It’s essential to seek help for your depression from Maryann at Somo Urgent Care as soon as possible.
Why do I have depression?
Depression’s causes are complex and hard to pin down. However, changes in the brain chemicals controlling mood (neurotransmitters) are often involved.
Depression is more likely to affect you if other family members have mental health problems, so genetics is influential. Your environment, stress, trauma, and many other factors also play a role in triggering depression.
How is depression treated?
Patients with milder forms of depression often benefit from counseling or psychotherapy alone. However, a combination of talk therapies, lifestyle counseling, and medications produces the best results for many people.
Maryann prepares a treatment plan for your depression after reviewing your symptoms. She may prescribe antidepressant medication to reduce symptom severity and enable you to benefit from psychotherapy.
Don’t let depression take over your life. Call Somo Urgent Care or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online today.