What is Major Depressive Disorder?

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a draining mental illness. It is the leading cause of disability in the United States—ranking higher than every other physical or mental disability. This illness can take a major tole on a person’s ability to function and their quality of life. These feelings often persist which can affect a person’s work, relationships, and hobbies.

Types of Depression

Though Major Depressive Disorder is the most common, there are many other kinds of depression, including Postpartum Depression, Treatment-Resistant Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and Persistent Depressive Disorder. It’s important to recognize that Depression can be a crippling condition that affects people from all walks of life. Clearly, it is far more than just having a bad day.

Hope and Treatment

With Depression being so prevalent in our community, Whole Mind is committed to helping people overcome this burdensome disease. Fortunately, these disorders are highly treatable, with new treatments becoming more widely available.

Recognizing the Signs of MDD

What are the common symptoms?

Major Depressive Disorder symptoms vary from person to person, but the often include:

Excessive or poor sleep
Loss of energy
Loss of interest or pleasure
Suicidal thoughts
Feelings of extreme sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, and isolation
Slowed speech, response, and movement
Sustained feelings of guilt

Treatment Options

Psychotherapy
(AKA Talk Therapy)
Many different types of therapy are effective for treating depression. Studies show that psychotherapy combined with medication is far superior to either by itself. Many different therapies can be helpful. Two of the most well known are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Medication
There are many medication options for depression. Our medical professionals at Whole Mind will work with you to find the safest and most effective medication while minimizing potential side effects.
Alternate Methods
For those who have found little success with medication or have had side effects to medications, options including TMS Therapy and Spravato. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) may be another step in treating depression.
Lifestyle Changes
Regulating sleep patterns, maintaining proper nutrition and regularly exercising have all shown benefits in improving depressive symptoms. Some over the counter supplements such as Omega-3 Fatty Acids, S-adenosyl-L methionine (SAM-e), N-acetylcysteine and L-Methylfolate have also shown modest effects in improving mood.