Depression Treatment In Los Angeles, CA

Depression, even in the most severe cases, is treatable. There is an effective treatment for mild, moderate, and severe depression. Even with known effective treatments for depression, many people go untreated. Barriers to receiving appropriate care are a lack of resources, a lack of trained healthcare providers, and the stigma associated with mental health disorders. However, CAST Centers offers depression treatment in Los Angeles, California to give hope to those who struggle.

What is Depression?

Life is full of experiences, both good and bad. It’s normal—even expected—to feel unhappy or sad sometimes. The death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, losing a job—all can cause stress and sadness. Many people find a way to carry on after these events, but for some, the negative feelings don’t go away.

They persist and become more intense over time instead of less. And yet, for others, there may be no life event or explanation for their feelings of despair. The medical terms for this are major depressive disorder (MDD), major depression, or clinical depression.

Often, it’s just referred to as depression. Sometimes, a person only gets symptoms during the winter due to a lack of sunlight. This is called seasonal affective disorder or SAD. In other cases, depressive symptoms are part of another type of mood disorder called bipolar disorder.  No matter the type of depression or underlying cause, the symptoms tend to be similar.

The Patient Depression Questionnaire is a nine-question multiple-choice self-report inventory, one of the most widely used psychometric tests for measuring the severity of depression.

Why Does Depression Happen?

One can experience depression for a number of reasons. Sometimes a life event triggers depression. Sometimes it happens after a psychological trauma, such as an assault. People with other mental health disorders, such as anxiety disorder are at risk of depression. Substance abuse and prescription medication addiction are risk factors for depression too. For some, there is no particular event that triggers depression and someone can feel it seemingly at random.

Whatever triggers someone’s depression, it’s more than just feeling sad. Sadness is a temporary reaction to loss and other life events. The feelings caused by depression are sometimes so strong that they prevent them from living a normal life. Depression treatment in Los Angeles can help someone manage their symptoms to live a happy and healthy life.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

Depression affects people in different ways, and there are many symptoms of major depression:

  • Deep, persistent sadness
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities one once enjoyed
  • Feelings of shame, guilt, hopelessness, worthlessness, and anger
  • Difficulty focusing on work and other tasks
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Poor short-term memory
  • Restlessness or fatigue
  • Insomnia or excessive sleeping
  • Changes in eating habits and/or weight
  • Reduced interest in sex
  • Aches and pains, especially back pain or headaches
  • Thinking often about death and/or suicide
  • Attempting suicide

Untreated Depression

In the long term, untreated depression can have highly negative effects. It may result in:

  • Broken relationships or lost friendships
  • Substance use or addiction
  • The loss of a job
  • A weakened immune system, which may lead to more frequent and more severe illnesses

    The Many Types of Depression

    People can become depressed for both physical and mental reasons. Depending on the cause of depression, it can manifest in different ways:

    • Major Depression– This is what most people think of when they hear “depression.” It’s when a person feels depressed most or all of the time.
    • Bipolar Disorder– This causes periods of alternating depression and mania.
    • Seasonal Affective Disorder– Triggered by conditions of low sunlight, it’s more common in winter, when there are fewer daylight hours.
    • Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder–This disorder occurs at the start of a menstrual period.
    • Postpartum Depression– Triggered by hormonal changes that occur after giving birth.
    • Psychotic Depression– This condition causes delusions and paranoia as well as depression.
    • Situational Depression– Occurs in response to a life event, such as the death of a loved one.

    If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, we at CAST Centers are here to discuss depression treatment options and help you create a depression treatment plan.

    How Do I Know If I Need Depression Help?

    If someone is suffering from depression, they might find it hard to get help. One reason for this is that after a while, depression starts to seem normal. It’s easy to forget one used to feel differently, so it’s hard to see they need depression help. Another reason is depression makes someone feel apathetic, as though there’s no point in getting help.

    While it’s normal to feel sad sometimes, it’s not normal to feel intensely sad for a long time. If someone has been suffering from depression longer than a month or two, this could be a sign to get help. If symptoms of major depression interfere with one’s everyday life, it’s time to get help and treat it.

    “Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis.”

    Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

    What’s Depression Treatment in Los Angeles Like?

    What makes our depression treatment different than any other treatment center is our CAST Alignment Model, which we use to treat depressive disorders and other psychological issues.

    This is our own unique treatment method, and it’s designed to help people connect to their mental, emotional, and spiritual self. Depression doesn’t always occur on its own. The CAST Alignment Model is for clients with dual diagnosis as well.

    Dual diagnosis may include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder with the use of alcohol or drugs. If someone has a dual diagnosis our CAST Alignment Model supports the mental health conditions that can create the cravings or desire to use alcohol and other drugs. With the combination of abstinence and outpatient treatment clients can go on to live healthy productive lives. 

    Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program

    IOP depression treatment program puts the focus on the individual. In therapy sessions, they’ll work through the issues that brought them to our depression treatment clinic. Then, they’ll have lifestyle coaching to help them build life skills. Other activities will help them gain mental, emotional, and spiritual strength. 

    Custom Outpatient Treatment Program

    Not everyone can devote 100% of their time to recovery, so we also offer a day treatment program (PHP). In PHP depression program, they can continue to work and fit treatments for depression into their schedule. This flexible program includes psychoeducational group therapy along with individual therapy.

    Treatment That Meets One’s Unique Needs

    Whichever depression treatment plan someone chooses, they’ll work with our treatment team to help them get the most out of their time with us. After a biopsychosocial assessment, they’ll start with depression therapy to help them explore the roots of their depression.

    Everyone’s needs are different, so CAST Centers focuses on treatment that’s comprehensive, yet flexible. Both treatment programs include group and private therapy. We offer cognitive behavioral therapy and other methods proven to treat depression effectively.

    CAST Centers partners with therapists throughout Southern California to provide psychiatric medicine as a treatment option. If depression medication works for them, it can be a valuable addition to their mental health treatment.

    Support for the Long-Haul

    Severe depression can make life and one’s world seem smaller than it is. It’s hard to remember what it’s like to feel hopeful, and it can take persistence to feel motivated to work on one’s recovery. If someone has severe depression, it can be hard to get out of bed in the morning, let alone get through the day. This means it can be initially hard to maintain a daily schedule of therapeutic activities.

    During depression therapy, one may have to examine difficult times in their life for clues about their mental health issues. This may trigger memories and emotions that make recovery mentally exhausting and sometimes painful. At CAST Centers, they’ll have support through everything, no matter which treatment program they choose

    Recovery doesn’t happen on a timetable, and it looks different for everyone. Each client will have an individual treatment plan that is updated as the client is progressing through treatment. The process of depression recovery is ongoing and the client will have a continuing care plan beyond CAST Centers based on their needs. All clients that complete CAST Centers also have free access to our weekly alumni groups as well as alumni activities. 

    our rehab center in Los Angeles

    Find Depression Treatment in Los Angeles, CA

    Living with depression is like trying to run in water. It’s possible, but it’s hard and exhausting, and you feel like you’re not getting anywhere. Maybe you can’t imagine, right now, what it would be like to wake up in the morning and feel eager to greet a new day.

    Perhaps you don’t remember what it’s like to feel the joy life can bring—taking pleasure in a favorite song, enjoying old hobbies, or laughing with family and friends. The struggle with depression takes these things away, but CAST Centers in Los Angeles, California, is here to help you take them back.

    Contact us today to learn about our depression therapy programs.

    CAST Centers is in network with Anthem Blue Cross, MHN Health Net and accepts most PPO insurances like Cigna, Aetna and GEHA.

    Contact CAST Centers Now!

    Ask how CAST Centers can help with mental health and substance abuse.

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