A Revolutionary Approach to Depression recovery.
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression. It affects how you feel, think, and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes, you may feel as if life isn't worth living.
Everyone goes through a certain amount of ups and downs in their lives. Sometimes, losses or tragedies occur and we are profoundly sad. This is normal. However, if one doesn’t bounce back and depression persists longer than a few weeks or becomes severe, then one should seek help. Changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, daily behaviour, or self-esteem can often accompany depression.
Depression can have symptoms that range in type and severity for different people. While antidepressant medication can help some people, it doesn’t help everyone or may be a first step. Treatment that addresses factors from both the body and the mind that contribute to ongoing depressive symptoms. This can range from your genetics, your lifestyle, your nutrition and your sleep. All these can affect your brain health and your mood and should be addressed to help depressive symptoms.
Depressive symptoms can include:
- Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
- Angry outbursts, irritability, or frustration, even over small matters
- Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities eg. social life, hobbies, sex or sports
- Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
- Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
- Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
- Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
- Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
- Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
- Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
- Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
For many people with depression, symptoms usually are severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities or relationships with others. Some people may feel generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing why.
Depression symptoms in children and teens
Common signs and symptoms of depression in children and teenagers are similar to those of adults, but there can be some differences.
- In younger children, symptoms of depression may include sadness, irritability, clinginess, worry, aches and pains, refusing to go to school, or being underweight.
- In teens, symptoms may include sadness, irritability, feeling negative and worthless, anger, poor performance or poor attendance at school, feeling misunderstood and extremely sensitive, using recreational drugs or alcohol, eating or sleeping too much, self-harm, loss of interest in normal activities, and avoidance of social interaction.
Depression symptoms in older adults
Depression is not a normal part of growing older, and it should never be taken lightly. Unfortunately, depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated in older adults, and they may feel reluctant to seek help. Symptoms of depression may be different or less obvious in older adults, such as:
- Memory difficulties or personality changes
- Physical aches or pain
- Fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems or loss of interest in sex — not caused by a medical condition or medication
- Often wanting to stay at home rather than go out to socialise or do new things.
- Suicidal thinking or feelings, especially in older men
NeuroOptimize offers a mental health clinic with different support professionals all in one place. We address the mind and body factors that contribute to depression. We offer therapies to rebuild the body, mind, and brain and help you gain a deeper understanding of depression and what may be useful to you in recovery. TMS is approved for treatment-resistant depression and has been shown to be helpful for a number of other mental health disorders such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), pain management, tinnitus, PTSD, and more. Currently, in Australia, Medicare and DVA approves and provides rebates for TMS for treatment -resistant depression. Please speak to one of our healthcare team members to see if you are eligible for a Medicare or DVA rebate.
If you think you may be depressed, book in with one of our GPs to start your recovery journey.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please reach out to Lifeline 13 11 14 or Veterans call Open Arms 1800 011 046 for 24-hour support.
Results may vary based on individual users, and there are no guarantees given.
