What is Depression?
Depression is a serious mental health condition that affects millions of people globally, impacting their thoughts, emotions, physical health, and daily life. It is characterised by persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, anxiety, or a combination of these. These feelings are often accompanied by a loss of interest in activities and a lack of motivation.
Depression often stems from a complex interaction of factors including genetics, medical conditions, life events, and biochemical imbalances.
Types of Depression
Major Depressive Disorder
Also known as clinical depression, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a type of depression that is characterised by long periods of persistently feeling sad, irritated, angry, anxious, lower sexual drive, lack of motivation, lowered pleasure in activities etc.
Dysthymic Depression Need
Dysthymia, or Persistent Depressive Disorder is identified by a depressed mood that lasts for at least two years in adults, and at least one year in children/adolescents. This mood is present for the majority of the day.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings and long periods of manic and depressive episodes. Each of these episodes can last for a few days up to weeks at a time.
Cyclothymic Disorder
Cyclothymic Disorder is diagnosed when adults experience at least two years or children/adolescents experience at least one year of both hypomanic and depressive symptoms but don’t meet the full criteria for an episode of mania, hypomania, or major depression.
Peripartum Onset Need
Peripartum Onset is a part of Major Depressive Disorder that is experienced by women within four weeks after child birth. It is followed by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that happens during the seasons of fall or winter. It is common in people who live in colder regions, especially where sunlight is available for fewer hours during the day.
Causes of Depression
Depression is caused by a complex combination of psychological, biological and social factors. Some of these factors include:
Brain Chemistry
Depression can be caused by functional changes in neurotransmitters in the brain, which are chemicals responsible for communication between the different cells. These neurotransmitters play a vital role in regulating mood.
Genetics
Family history is a major contributing factor to the development of depression. Individuals with such cases inherit unique combinations of genetics that make them predisposed to this condition.
Stressful Life Events
Traumatic events such as the death of a loved one, physical or emotional abuse, or experiencing loss due to a natural disaster can trigger depression. These life events can start a cycle of negative thought patterns that affect thinking and functioning.
Medical Conditions
Neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease; Endocrine conditions like diabetes or thyroid disorders; Metabolic conditions like Hypercalcemia; HIV, and cancer can all cause depression.
Medication
Certain medications can cause or worsen the symptoms of depression. Everyone’s biochemistry is different and sometimes medication for unrelated pre-existing conditions can potentially cause depression as a side effect.
Treatment of Depression
Psychotherapy
Also known as talk therapy, Psychotherapy is a safe, supportive space to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with a trained professional. The therapist explores these experiences and offers tools to help you navigate and overcome challenges, making it an effective therapy for depression and other mental health concerns.
Medication
Mood stabilisers and stimulants are a category of medication that helps in the treatment of depression. For depression, medication is usually paired with psychotherapy for optimal results.
Brain Stimulation Therapy
Techniques like Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation (iTBS), Continuous and Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (CTBS) etc. are non-invasive brain stimulation therapies, prescribed by a psychiatrist, that target specific areas of the brain to either stimulate or inhibit neuronal activity.
Alternative treatment
Techniques like yoga, exercise, medication, guided imagery etc. are a part of alternative medicine that don’t come under standard Western practices. These techniques focus on your mind, body, diet, and general lifestyle improvements.
Cost of Depression Treatments at BetterPlace Health
Your first appointment will cost INR 2,000. To get started, book a consultation with our professionals to discover how BetterPlace and our depression treatment centers can support you and your loved ones with top-quality care.
The cost and duration of your treatment will vary depending on the frequency of visits, the recommended treatment plan, and the medication required.
BetterPlace provides cost-effective end-to-end psychiatry care for you and your loved ones. Our focus is to quicken and shorten your recovery so you get better, faster. We make sure you receive the best-in-class treatment for your illness while keeping the costs in check.
Compassionate care from trusted experts
Experts at BetterPlace are highly trained mental health professionals who have treated over 50,000 patients with a range of conditions.
- Depression
- ADHD
- Generalized Anxiety
- OCD
- Schizophrenia
- Anorexia
- Agoraphobia
- Panic Disorder
- Social Anxiety
- Bulimia nervosa
- Bipolar Disorder
- Personality Disorders
- Binge Eating
Dr. Sunil Mittal
Dr. Mitali Srivastava
What makes our approach to Depression 'better'?
Personalised & continuous treatment
Our programs are tailor-made for what you need – emotionally, psychologically, and biologically. And we help you monitor and track your progress constantly, so you are always supported and informed.
Real-time collaboration with medical staff
Since all BetterPlace clinics operate within hospitals, our elite team of mental health experts are able to collaborate in real-time with doctors and physicians, giving you a more seamless treatment experience.
Holistic & integrated care
Our approach goes beyond medication and therapy. We build multi-modal care plans that include various therapeutic treatments, lifestyle interventions & support services for long-term recovery.
Evidence-based & tech-focused
To give you an accurate and reliable diagnosis, we equip our doctors with the most advanced tools available, and incorporate the latest evidence-based treatments from around the world.
Visiting BetterPlace? Here’s what to expect
Initial Intake Session
A 45-minute introductory session with a clinical psychologist so we can get to know you better
Psychologist briefs Doctor
A 15-minute break while your psychologist discusses your case history with our in-house psychiatrist
Have a 1:1 with an Expert
Speak to a Psychiatrist or Psychologist - depending on what works for you - to get your personalised treatment plan
Begin your Treatment
Your care at BetterPlace begins with regular progress tracking and continuous support
Mental Health Partners to the prestigious National Heart Institute
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Frequently Asked Questions
Depression is a common mental health condition, affecting approximately 300 million people across the world. It’s important to know that you are not alone in your struggle.
Persistent sadness or emptiness, loss of interest or pleasure, Irritability, anger, feelings of worthlessness, guilt, thoughts of death or suicide, anxiety, restlessness, fatigue, low energy etc are all symptoms of depression.
Depression is diagnosed by a licensed healthcare professional like a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or primary care physician. The healthcare professional will prepare a case history, where they enquire about your demographic details, chief complaints, lifestyle, daily habits, etc. They may prescribe additional assessments to get a better understanding of your case. Through the collected data, they will diagnose you appropriately and suggest treatment methods, which may include therapy for depression, medication, or a combination of both.
While depression can’t always be fully prevented, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing the condition. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular physical activity, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep can support mental well-being. Strong social connections, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques can further be beneficial. If you have certain genetic predispositions towards depression, regular health check-ins with your doctor and engaging in therapy for depression can help catch symptoms early on and provide effective support.
You should visit a medical professional if you experience persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or a lack of interest in activities for more than two weeks. Additionally, keep a track of your sleeping habits, energy levels, appetite, and attention span as these things can indicate a sign of depression.
