Can Depression Go Away?

Depression, also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a mood disorder caused by chemical balances in the brain. Depression is more than just feelings of sadness; it deeply affects how your brain processes information and can change every aspect of your life.

To get an official diagnosis of clinical depression, you must have experienced at least five of the symptoms of depression once a day for a period of at least two weeks. Some of the more common symptoms include losing interest in things you once enjoyed, feelings of intense worthlessness, fatigue, or social withdrawal.

Unfortunately, most cases of major depressive disorder are highly recurrent — at least half of everyone who has one episode will go on to experience at least one more in their lifetime. How long a depressive episode lasts depends on a multitude of genetic and environmental factors and whether you receive treatment or not. It can last for months or even years at the time.

What is a depressive episode?

Depression usually manifests itself in depressive episodes, much like “flares” in disorders like arthritis. An episode is when a person experiences the depression symptoms for a period of at least two weeks. Most people with depression will have recurrent depressive episodes over the course of their life, and this is why treatment is so important.

If left untreated, the depressions of symptoms tend to get worse and worse and can impact personal relationships, performance at work or in school, and even lead to thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Research shows that the risk factors for depressive episodes can include the following:

• Suffering from another psychiatric condition (also known as comorbidity)
• A family history of depression
• Personality factors
• Stressful or traumatic events
• Lack of social support from friends or family

While depression can not be cured, remission can be attained and relief from symptoms can be found with proper treatment.
Why is treatment so important?

Most depression medications, for instance the traditional antidepressant, can only help reduce the symptoms of depression, and can not “cure” depression. Antidepressants only seek to correct the underlying chemical imbalance that causes depression, but unfortunately do not work for everyone and may come with serious side effects.

Even if an episode of depression passes, the underlying threat of a depressive episode occurring again is always there, and can still be triggered by the correct set of circumstances. Untreated depression can interfere with every aspect of your life, and poses a dangerous risk of suicidal thoughts or actions.

Depression is also linked to a number of other conditions like heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or obesity. Depression may also accelerate other conditions like hypertension. Depression brings with it a lack of motivation and energy means it makes it more difficult to treat not only depression but other medications as well.

What treatments are available for depression?

Fortunately, despite a cure being impossible, treatment of its symptoms is quite attainable. There is no weakness in seeking out treatment from a trusted healthcare provider, and there are many different treatment options that may work for you.

A new depression treatment making waves across the country is Ketamine infusion. Research shows that IV Ketamine infusion can help find relief in up to 80% of patients suffering from depression symptoms.

Self-care and general lifestyle changes have also proven to be very effective at reducing the symptoms of depression. Practicing good diet, healthy sleep patterns, and exercise can be just as effective as antidepressants when it comes to reducing depression symptoms.

What lifestyle changes can I make?

There may not be any “at-home remedies” for depressive episodes, but there are certainly things a person can do to improve their overall well-being and mental health.

Follow your mental health provider’s treatment plan. They are experts in their field and want to help you find treatment. It may be difficult to keep up with their treatment plan, but it takes time to find relief.

• Avoid drug and alcohol abuse.
• Try to exercise or even take a walk once a day. Physical activity is good for both physical and mental health.
• Practice a regular sleep schedule.
• Try to eat a healthier diet.

Ketamine Infusions for depression

An innovative new treatment option, Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic that has been found to provide rapid relief from depression and anxiety when infused at a low dose. The FDA has recently approved Esketamine, a nasal spray comprised of a compound based on Ketamine, for the treatment of depression and other mood disorders. Research indicates that Ketamine stimulates the regrowth of synapses within the brain, essentially rewiring the parts of the brain that may be causing distress. Ketamine is also available as an infusion. Some researchers maintain a 75% success rate when treating those suffering from depression or anxiety with Ketamine Infusions.