How Depression Can Affect Your Life and Why Seeking Treatment Is Important

Depression Apex Medical Center Depression Association of America

If you think you may have depression, it’s time to book an appointment at Apex Medical Center and seek treatment. Depression is far more than feeling down or blue. It can affect every part of your life.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, about 15 million Americans experience a constant feeling of depression that doesn’t go away. If you’re one of them, you should know that treatment is available and that it is overwhelmingly effective.

Here are a few of the ways that depression can affect your life.

Basic needs

Depression often disrupts the most basic things you need to live. For example, depression may make it difficult for you to sleep, or it may make you want to sleep all the time. It’s likely to leave you feeling fatigued, whether you can’t sleep or you sleep more than usual.

Your appetite may change, and you may experience weight loss or weight gain, regardless of your eating habits.

Relationships

Often, depression can cause irritability or moodiness, which can easily affect your relationships. It can also make you withdraw from your family and friends.

One of the most common symptoms of depression is feeling hopelessness or worthlessness. You may think you’re not worthy of love or friendship, whether consciously or not, and behave in ways that push people away.  

Work

You may have difficulty concentrating, which can make it difficult to perform well at work. Additionally, feeling fatigued or displaying moodiness can affect your productivity and relationships in the workplace.

Your health

It may seem unlikely, but depression has definite physical symptoms for some people. It can cause chronic pain, nausea, and headaches.

Changes in your sleep schedule can also have an impact on your health. Not getting enough sleep has been associated with heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

In many ways, depression can bring about an avalanche of other symptoms, which come together to negatively impact your health.

Treatment

The most appropriate treatment for you depends on numerous factors, and our healthcare providers at Apex Medical Center tailor your treatment to your situation. Here are some common treatment options.

Lifestyle changes

Adding exercise to your life, actively working to reduce stress, and improving nutrition can all make a difference. Such changes to your lifestyle are often part of a larger treatment plan.

Medication

There are numerous medications available to treat depression. Not all medications are appropriate, and in some cases, other options are a better treatment approach.

Talk therapy

You may benefit from talk therapy or behavioral therapy as well. If that’s the best option for you, you’ll meet with a trained professional who will help you learn coping skills. Sometimes talk therapy is used in conjunction with other methods of treatment.

There are other treatment options as well, but these are some of the most common and most effective. In order to develop a treatment plan that is tailored specifically to your needs, our staff will talk to you about your medical history, your current situation, and do a thorough physical exam.

Don’t risk the impact depression can have on every part of your life. Book an appointment today at Apex Medical Center to learn more about diagnosis and treatment. Scheduling online is convenient and easy, or you can give us a call.

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