Depression Specialist

What are the signs of depression?

If you have depression, you might have some of the following symptoms:

• Sadness or hopelessness that occurs on a frequent or regular basis
• Irritability or increased anger
• Sleep problems
• Loss of interest in usual activities
• Fatigue or lack of energy
• Changes in appetite
• Trouble concentrating or focusing
• Negative thought patterns, such as feeling guilty
• Suicidal thoughts

Why do I have depression?

The exact cause of depression isn’t fully understood, but you might have certain factors that make you more likely to have this disorder. These include traumatic events, a family history of depression, or low self-esteem and other personality traits.

Depression might be linked to physical differences in your brain or changes in brain chemistry. You might also be more likely to develop depression due to hormonal changes.

Dr. Fatakhov takes all possible risk factors into account to take an integrative approach to managing depression.

How do I know if I have depression?

Keep in mind that there are different types of depression, including chronic depression, major depressive disorder, and seasonal affective disorder.

Dr. Fatakhov provides screenings for depression to help diagnose your depressive symptoms. He’ll ask you questions about your thoughts, emotions, mood, activities, energy levels, and other relevant info to help determine if you have depression and how severe it is.

How does Dr. Fatakhov treat depression?

Dr. Fatakhov offers different forms of treatment for depression depending on your personal preferences, the potential cause of your depression, and its severity.

He offers both natural and medical management, such as counseling and medication. Medications that are used for depression include antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. If you choose to use medication for treatment, Dr. Fatakhov will help you find the right one to take and the right dosage.

What additional types of treatment are there for depression?

Dr. Fatakhov might recommend undergoing counseling to help you manage depression. Counseling helps you develop ways to cope with depression and learning to recognize and replace negative thought patterns.

He might also suggest taking supplements that may help ease depression symptoms, such as St. John’s wort or omega-3 fatty acids.

If you need help for depression, please contact The Center for Internal and Integrative Medicine to make an appointment with Dr. Fatakhov.