Depression

Adult and Child Psychiatrist in San Diego, California

Depression services offered in San Diego, CA

Depression causes significant, noticeable changes in mood and self-esteem that can severely impact day-to-day functioning. If you or your child has symptoms of depression, visit experienced psychiatrist Sanjoy Sathpathy, MD, and his team at So Cal Psychiatric Care in San Diego, California.

The team provides compassionate care for children and adults with depression.

Depression Q&A

What is depression?

Depression, also known as major depressive disorder (MDD), is a mental disorder characterized by two weeks or more of low mood in daily life.

Depression often comes with constant sadness, lack of motivation, hopelessness, and low self-worth. It may cloud your ability to think clearly. Recurrent thoughts are common in people suffering from severe depression.

How do I get depression?

There doesn’t seem to be a single cause for depression. Regardless of how old you are or the life you’ve led, you could still get depression. However, you’re more likely to develop depression if other family members have had mental health problems.

Distressing experiences such as divorce, the death of someone close, losing your job, and having a serious accident or illness can all trigger depression.

People who already have psychiatric conditions like anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are more vulnerable to depression. It’s also a primary symptom of bipolar disorder.

How is depression treated?

The So Cal Psychiatric Care team has extensive experience in helping people overcome depression, even when it reaches an advanced stage. Treatments that can help include:

Talk therapy

Interpersonal psychotherapy involves talking to one of So Cal Psychiatric Care’s compassionate therapists. They help you look at past issues and current challenges in a way that enables you to come to terms with some of the triggers for depression.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can also be effective, showing you how to check in with your thoughts and adjust them so you can manage daily life more easily.

Medication

Antidepressant medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) improve connectivity between your brain’s neurons (nerve cells). They increase levels of chemicals called neurotransmitters that form connections in areas of your brain that become inactive when you have depression.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, uses magnetic pulses to activate connections in your brain. It’s drug-free, painless, and non-invasive. The So Cal Psychiatric Care team specializes in TMS and might recommend it if other treatments aren’t helping.
Depression can be severely disabling, leading to a poor quality of life that no individual deserves. For compassionate and supportive help with depression, call So Cal Psychiatric Care or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online today.

We are a Psychiatric clinic that treat patients for anxiety and depression with TMS, along with TMS therapy treatment, and more. Call us to book your appointment today.