Depression Specialist

Kudos Medical

Board Certified Internal Medicine located in Chittenango, NY & Dewitt, NY

In 2017, around 17.3 million adults in the United States experienced at least one major depressive episode, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. At Kudos Medical in Chittenango and Dewitt, New York, Ife Ojugbeli, MD, and the team understand the negative toll depression can take on your everyday life, and they provide quality care and treatments to manage it. To learn more, call the office or book your personal consultation online.

Depression Q & A

What is depression?

Depression is a mood disorder, also known as clinical depression or major depressive disorder. With depression, you might find you’ve lost interest in many of the activities you used to enjoy. You may experience a persistent, lingering feeling of sadness and hopelessness.

It’s normal for you to experience sadness from time to time, but depression isn’t just a moment of feeling under the weather. In many cases, depression is a mental health disorder that requires long-term treatment.

What are the symptoms of depression?

Some of the symptoms of depression include:

Feelings of sadness, emptiness, worthlessness, and hopelessness
Self-blame and a lack of motivation
Poor sleep quality and sleep disturbances
Little to no interest in activities you used to enjoy
Chronic fatigue
Slowed or impaired memory and focus
Impatience, agitation, and anxiety
Decreased appetite, increased cravings, weight gain or weight loss
Irritability, frustration, and angry outbursts over seemingly small matters
Suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts

If you have depression, you might also experience unexplained physical problems, such as headaches or back pain.

What causes depression?

As with many mental health and mood disorders, there might be a number of factors that cause depression, such as:

Certain medications
Family history
Past trauma
Stressful events
History of mental health conditions
Drug or alcohol use
Certain changes in brain chemistry

Stressful life events, such as the death of a loved one or financial issues, can also trigger a depressive episode.

What are the treatments for depression?

After an evaluation, your provider at Kudos Medical recommends various effective treatments for your depression.

Lifestyle changes

Your provider might suggest healthy lifestyle changes, such as stress management tools, frequent exercise, mindfulness, and consuming a healthy diet with sufficient nutrients.

Medications

Your provider may prescribe antidepressants or antianxiety medications to help with depression.

Psychotherapy

With psychotherapy, or talk therapy, your provider helps you learn valuable tools and skills to ease your depression and cope with worsening symptoms. You have time to discuss your fears, questions, concerns, and potential reasons for your depression.

Find out how Kudos Medical can help with depression by calling the office or scheduling an appointment online today.

What we offer