FAQs

If you generally feel down, if you don’t enjoy much of anything, if you physically feels lousy much of the time, these are good indicators. But there’s no blood test you can take that will tell you for sure. Instead, mental health professionals rely on questionnaires like this online depression test from the Mayo Clinic. Connecting with a competent therapist to help you figure this out is a good idea.

The best therapy for depression is the one that works for you. There are many approaches out there, some provided by therapists (as at our practice), and some more medical in nature (such as TMS and electroshock therapy) that are offered by specialized providers. You may have to try more than one therapist, treatment, or medication before you find the solution that works best for you.

Different strokes for different folks. Some need one, some need the other, some need both. Consider consulting with a therapist who is open to using medication when it’s necessary (as opposed to someone who is opposed to using any medications, or a medical professional who prescribes but doesn’t offer therapy) – they can help you make decisions about what’s best for you.

Depression is usually something you manage or treat, not cure. This is likely a part of your brain for the long term – but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be depressed forever. It just means that, even once you recover and feel less depressed, you will probably be more likely than others to fall back into depression when you face difficult times, age/hormonal changes, and other triggers. That’s why therapy that builds skills you can use for the future is so important.