Telehealth for depression
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Our telehealth for depression team supports mental health in your community
Depression is a continuous feeling of sadness or loss of interest – experienced over at least two weeks – that can affect your ability to engage in everyday activities. Depression impacts different people in different ways. Some will only experience mild symptoms, while it may affect others severely. Individuals can also suffer from different types of depression. Read on to discover the causes, kinds, symptoms, and how our telehealth services for depression can help you.
Types of depression
- Major depression, also called major depressive disorder, clinical depression or just ՙdepression’, is the most familiar kind. Ongoing feelings of unhappiness and indifference to activities you previously found enjoyable characterise the condition.
- Bipolar disorder, previously called manic depression, is a syndrome that causes a person to go through periods of both depression and mania whilst feeling normal in between. Mania is the opposite of depression. A person experiencing mania may feel great, have lots of energy, talk.fast, not feel the need for sleep or have racing thoughts.
- Melancholia is a severe form of depression that may include various physical symptoms alongside a mood likely to prevent you from finding pleasure in anything.
- Dysthymia is often described as a less severe but more long-term form of depressive disorder. A person could typically have milder symptoms for more than two years.
- Cyclothymic disorder is generally regarded as a milder form of bipolar, where a well-balanced frame of mind alternates with short periods of mania and depression over two years.
- Antenatal and postnatal depression is an affliction experienced during pregnancy or in the year following childbirth. It presents very similarly to severe depression.
- Psychotic depression includes the presence of hallucinations or delusions.
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mood ailment affected by seasonal changes. Our online psychologist for depression may diagnose you with this complaint if you notice that mania or depression starts or ends in a specific season.
Symptoms of depression
You may experience different symptoms depending on the type of depression. If you are feeling a combination of the below and they are affecting your ability to complete daily activities, you may have a form of depression. Symptoms include:
- Feeling sad, miserable, guilty, and unhappy. Also, if you experience a sense of being frustrated,overwhelmed, disappointed, indecisive, or if you lack confidence.
- Thinking negative thoughts such as “I’m a failure”, “I’m worthless”, “Life is not worth living”, “People will be better off without me”, or “There is nothing good in my life”.
- Behaviours such as not going out anymore, withdrawing from friends and family, and no longer partaking in activities that used to be enjoyable. Also, the inability to concentrate, relying on sedatives such as alcohol or being less productive at work or school.
- Physical indicators, such as feeling tired, unwell and rundown all the time, frequent headaches or stomach aches, loss of appetite or changes in your sleeping schedule.
There is no need to continue feeling like this. Please reach out to our professional online therapist for depression so we can help you manage these concerns.
Causes of depression
Many different factors can influence the development of depression. Though everyone’s situation is unique, understanding the elements that may have led to your situation can help us collaborate with you to create a more effective treatment plan. Some aspects that may increase the likelihood of depression are:
- Life events: Challenges such as long-term unemployment, being in an abusive relationship and experiencing continuous isolation can increase the risk.
- Family history: Not everyone with a parent or sibling who suffers from depression will develop the ailment, but a potential genetic link makes it more common for them to contract the mental health condition.
- Personality: People with personality traits such as perfectionism, low self-esteem, or a tendency to worry are more likely to develop depression at some point in their lives.
- Drugs and alcohol: Substance abuse can put a person at greater risk, but many also use it as a form of self-medication when symptoms of depression start to develop.
- A significant physical illness: This can directly lead to depression, as can the ongoing stress and worry concerning treatment and prognosis. Dealing with chronic pain can also trigger the depressive disorder.
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Diagnosis of depression
Only a GP or mental health professional can make a diagnosis. A medical doctor will conduct physical and mental examinations to identify and analyse your symptoms. The mental health assessment may consist of a discussion or questionnaire to ascertain:
- How you feel and think,
- The frequency of your symptoms,
- If you or your family members have a history of mental illness, and
- Whether you have ever encountered events considered triggers for depression or not.
- Why not reach out to our experienced, qualified online psychologist for depression to obtain an opinion?
Treatment of depression
Depending on the severity and type of depression you experience, your doctor or our online therapist for telehealth depression will work with you to find the right treatment combination. We generally recommend multiple simultaneous treatments.
- Psychological therapy: Talking therapies employ cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, and other strategies to train your brain into healthier thinking patterns. You can utilise online tools, but we suggest counselling and support from a therapist if you experience medium to severe depression.
- Medical remedies: Antidepressants are the most commonly used medications. Moodstabiliser s and anti-psychotic drugs may work separately or together to treat severe or complex cases. Finding the appropriate medicine for you may take time, as all antidepressants don’t work the same way.
- Lifestyle changes: A reduction in alcohol or drug use, improvement of sleep schedules, a healthier diet, and regular exercise can be effective in managing symptoms of depression.
At Inner Psych, we have a team of telehealth depression psychologists and other mental health professionals capable of supporting you in your journey from diagnosis to recovery. We provide online counselling throughout Australia and can assist you no matter where you live. Reach out today if you think you may be suffering from depression.