Depression

Summit Health and Wellness Center

Adult and Child Psychiatrists & Child and Family Therapists located in Norman, OK

Depression affects children, adolescents, and adults of all ages, causing sadness, loss of interest in once-favorite activities, and no desire to interact with friends and family. When you or your child are depressed, the team at Summit Health and Wellness Center can help with customized and compassionate therapy. He sees patients from throughout Oklahoma, so seek treatment to recover from depression today. Call the office in Norman, Oklahoma, or schedule an appointment online.

Depression Q & A

When should I get help for depression?

Everyone has the blues now and then, but before long, their mood improves. Many patients wait for depression to lift the same way as their transient blues, but depression doesn’t work that way.

Depression has a broad influence on your energy, sleep, appetite, and concentration, making it a deeply rooted problem that doesn’t suddenly improve. 

When you or your child have ongoing depression that interferes with daily life and well-being, it’s time to contact Summit Health and Wellness Center and schedule an appointment.

What symptoms develop due to depression?

The symptoms of major depression include:

  • Depressed mood most of the day
  • Loss of interest in most activities
  • Significant weight loss or weight gain
  • Fatigue or lack of energy
  • Insomnia or oversleeping
  • Feelings of worthlessness
  • Feeling restless
  • Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

If you or your child are depressed, you have several of these symptoms for two weeks or longer.

Is depression different in children compared to adults?

Children generally have the same symptoms of depression as adults, but they may have more physical problems. Young children may complain of frequent headaches or stomach aches. 

When teens become depressed, they may turn to alcohol or other drugs as a way to cope and to try and boost their mood.

Children and adolescents with depression have a high risk of developing other mental health problems. In youth aged 3-17, an estimated 75% of those with a depression diagnosis also have an anxiety disorder diagnosis.

What causes depression?

Depression doesn’t have one identifiable cause. Instead, it arises from many factors, including your genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental triggers. Many life circumstances lead to depression, including illness, death of a loved one, and loss of a job.

Chronic stress and trauma can cause changes in your brain biochemistry that result in depression. That’s why it’s common for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to also have depression.

How do you treat depression?

When treating depression, the team at Summit Health and Wellness takes a multimodal approach, combining therapy with medication management as needed. 

With experience in many forms of cognitive, behavioral, and psychodynamic therapies, the providers work closely with each patient, choosing the therapy that best fits the patient’s personality, lifestyle, and goals. 

If you have PTSD and depression, the team may suggest eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.

Following your initial appointment, you may choose to use telemedicine for some follow-up appointments.

If you or anyone in your family needs help with depression, call Summit Health and Wellness Center, or schedule an appointment online.