When Does Depression Require Medical Intervention?

Have you been feeling sad for a while? Perhaps you’ve felt listless and haven’t been participating in activities you normally enjoy. On the other hand, maybe your significant other tells you that your irritability is affecting your relationship. Could you be suffering from depression? It’s time to find out. 

Board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner Rondeshya “Ronnie” Cosby with Bright Shadows Telepsychiatry explains that clinical depression doesn’t go away on its own. It’s a brain-based mood disorder that deeply affects your thoughts, actions, and emotions. 

Ronnie offers telemedicine visits to patients in Virginia and North Carolina. You remain in the comfort of your home, saving time, money, and effort. We also offer flexible hours so if you’re not able to make appointments during normal 9-5 hours, we can accommodate you. 

If you suspect depression, here’s what you need to know.

Recognizing signs of depression 

Symptoms of depression vary from person to person, but a core group of symptoms includes: 

• Long-term feelings of sadness or hopelessness 
• Little interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions 
• Persistent fatigue and feeling listless 
• Feeling irritable or frustrated 
• Sleep disruptions (sleeping too much or too little) 
• Changes in appetite (eating too much or too little) 
• Feeling guilty or worthless
• Anxiety or restlessness 
• Physical signs such as headaches or stomach issues 

If these symptoms last for more than two weeks, depression could be setting in. Call us if you’ve noticed these changes in yourself or a loved one. Early intervention can relieve your symptoms quickly and help you feel like yourself again. 

Treatment for depression 

If you’re depressed, don’t despair. With professional treatment, most patients recover and go on to lead productive lives. 

Perhaps friends or family think you can “snap out of it.” That isn’t true if you’re clinically depressed. Research shows that depression involves low levels of certain chemical neurotransmitters in the brain. 

Clinical depression almost always improves with medication. While your symptoms improve, we work to identify the reasons for your depression during therapy sessions and provide evidence-based approaches to restore your emotional and physical well-being. 

Following are the pillars of our treatment for depression at Bright Shadows Telepsychiatry: 

Therapy 

Our board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner provides cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or interpersonal therapy (IPT) to support you and lead you out of the wilderness when depression makes you feel hopeless or lost. 

You explore the root causes of your depression, identify depression triggers, and start to use new, healthier ways of coping. 

Nutrition coaching 

Depression can wreak havoc with your diet. You may not feel like cooking. Perhaps you’ve resorted to processed fast foods that lack significant nutritional value. Ronnie reviews your diet and helps you plan healthy alternatives that are simple to prepare. Eating nutritious food gives you more energy and supports brain health. 

Holistic health approach

Ronnie understands the interconnectedness of mental and physical health and treats depression with a holistic approach. 

If you’re clinically depressed, you benefit from an antidepressant medication. You may have low levels of serotonin and/or dopamine, important neurotransmitters that affect energy level, mood, sleep, libido, and more. We find an antidepressant that works for you to help regulate your mood.  

While an antidepressant treats your symptoms of depression, it doesn’t treat the causes. That’s where therapy plays a significant role. Ronnie helps you explore the reasons for your depression. 

Therapy also helps you identify unhealthy habits. Once you’re starting to feel better and the fog of depression begins to lift, Ronnie works with you to plan and implement a daily and weekly schedule that begins to reconnect you to your loved ones and the activities that bring you joy. 

We introduce mindfulness and meditation exercises; help you develop an exercise schedule; identify and plan to participate in activities that you enjoy; and help you plan to eat foods that are important for brain health. 

Bright Shadows Telepsychiatry provides a personalized approach to support you and help lift you out of depression. We’re dedicated to helping you feel more hopeful, self-assured, and prepared to flourish in your daily life once more. 

If you feel depressed, call or book an appointment online with Bright Shadows Telepsychiatry today.