Major Depressive Disorder

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Major depressive disorder, also known as clinical depression, is a common mood disorder that causes feelings of sadness, withdrawal, and loss of interest or joy in normal activities. Depression can interfere with one’s ability to perform everyday functions and, in severe cases can even cause a person to contemplate suicide.

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Symptoms of depression may include:

⦁ Anger, irritability, or frustration
⦁ Anxiety
⦁ Sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
⦁ Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
⦁ Suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts
⦁ Insomnia or severe fatigue and excessive sleeping
⦁ Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies or day-to-day activities
⦁ Isolating oneself and avoiding social interaction
⦁ Reduced appetite and weight loss
⦁ Increased food cravings and weight gain
⦁ Trouble concentrating
⦁ Slower cognitive functioning, or “brain fog”
⦁ Unexplained physical pain, like back pain or headaches

If these symptoms sound familiar, you may be experiencing clinical depression.

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Major Depression Treatment Options

There are many potential treatment options for depression. While the most commonly recommended treatments are talk therapy and medication management, at Astra Behavioral Health, we recognize that an individual’s treatment plan should be as unique as they are and strive to offer the best treatment options available, along with compassionate care and physicians who work with you to find a treatment plan that meets your goals. We offer Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in addition to more conventional treatments such as medication management.

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What is TMS Therapy?

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive medication-free depression treatment designed to stimulate the brain and improve symptoms of mental illness. TMS is a very effective form of treatment, especially for those who have had little success with talk therapy and traditional medications, also known as individuals suffering from treatment-resistant depression.