Depression treatment

Depression is a group of changes that last, not a bad week or two:

• Low or flat mood most of the day, most days.
• Losing interest in things you used to enjoy.
• Sleeping much more or much less than usual.
• Changes in appetite or weight.
• Tiredness that rest does not fix.
• Trouble focusing or making decisions.
• Guilt, or feeling worthless or like a burden.
• Thoughts of death or of not wanting to be here.

If you have that last one, please tell us. It is common and treatable, and saying it does not automatically lead anywhere you have not agreed to.

Most people start with an antidepressant and a follow-up in two to four weeks. It usually takes four to six weeks to see the full effect, and we follow up closely along the way.

If the first medicine is not enough, the next step is a higher dose, a switch, or adding a second medicine. That is normal.

After two full medicine trials that did not help enough, depression is called treatment-resistant. That is a label, not a verdict. It is also when TMS becomes an option that most insurers cover.

TMS is an FDA-cleared, non-medication treatment for depression. It takes about 20 minutes a day, with no sedation, and it is offered here.

If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911. This practice is not an emergency service.