Some people describe depression as a black, enveloping cloud that descends into their lives making everyday activities seem overwhelming and pointless. They may feel sad and hopeless or tense and restless. Depression symptoms vary from person to person. Sleep and appetite are often disturbed. Once a person suffers one depressive episode, they are quite likely to have subsequent episodes. Depression can impact a person’s ability to earn a living, study or maintain important relationships.
Depression symptoms involve more than just a poor mood or feelings of sadness. Clinical depression affects 15-18% of Americans and is considered a brain disorder characterized by a dysregulation of neurotransmitters – the chemical messengers used by the brain to produce feelings, moods and emotions. Depression can result from a genetic predisposition for the disorder, hormonal imbalances, stress and trauma or the use of mood-altering chemicals
Our depression treatment center utilizes a multifaceted approach that looks at the whole person. Our board certified medical director is skilled at treating clinical depression using non-habit forming medications to gently re-regulate neurotransmitters. Individual and group therapy is helpful in identifying behavioral and attitudinal components of clinical depression and can help patients lighten and stabilize their mood and develop more adaptive ways of managing thoughts and feelings that may trigger depressive episodes. Our rehab for depression also incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that allows us to help patients identify and challenge unhealthy or irrational beliefs that can cause emotional pain. Grief groups, trauma therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can help lessen the emotional resonance of painful memories while helping patients explore and process the root causes of their depression.
Over time, depression can actually shrink key areas of the brain. At Cottonwood Tucson, our clinicians understand how the right kind of therapeutic exercises can trigger the release of chemicals that stimulate the growth new brain tissue. We also know that physical activity is essential for optimizing mood stability and the brain’s ability to think clearly.
Good nutrition is also an important, though often overlooked, component of recovery from clinical depression. The behavioral health dietitians at our rehab for depression work with patients in developing nutritional plans aimed at ensuring that each person will have sufficient vitamins and amino acids to promote a stable, happy and confident mood – which is a primary goal of our depression treatment center.
If you need help getting out of the weight of darkness and depression, our innovative and nationally renowned inpatient treatment center for depression can help. Please contact us to start your recovery and regain your life.
