Therapy for Depression
Depression is a word and concept that is often incorrectly used to describe general feelings of sadness, regardless of the intensity, context or duration. In fact, depression has a clear set of criteria, which when present can cause significant impairments in the day-to-day functioning of one’s life. Depression, or major depressive disorder, is characterized by a period at least two weeks of a depressed mood accompanied by a loss of interest in things that used to bring one pleasure or joy. This pattern typically lasts for at least two weeks, and often longer. Additional symptoms often include a subset of the following experiences: significant changes in appetite, significant changes in body weight, hopelessness, noticeable slowing or speeding up of one’s movements, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, thoughts of suicide and feelings of worthlessness/guilt.
An estimated 17.3 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States have experienced at least one major depressive episode in their lifetime, with the highest prevalence occurring between ages 18-25*. These figures don’t include individuals who experience depressive symptoms but do not meet criteria for a diagnosis, or individuals who self-medicate using drugs or alcohol. Nevertheless, depression and mood disorders in general represent a significant public health problem, leading to missed days of work, substance use, physical ailments and other mental health concerns.
Depression in children and adolescents looks slightly different than it does for adults. For example, a depressed mood for children and teens will often manifest itself as irritability. In addition, youngsters may not meet criteria for significant weight increases or decreases. Instead, they may complain of having non-specific physical ailments, and might experience a decrease in academic performance. Despite these small differences between the manifestation of depression in adults and children/teens, it nonetheless impacts approximately 13.3% of the United States population between the ages of twelve and seventeen.
Treatment for depression typically includes the implementation of cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication, or a combination of both. Cognitive therapy, behavioral activation and interpersonal therapy have all been shown to be and effective and efficacious treatment for depression among both adults and children. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are the most frequently used medications used to treat major depressive disorder and associated mood disorders. However, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are also used to treat depression when deemed appropriate by a psychiatrist.
*SAMHSA, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2017