Depression

Depression is more than just feeling sad or down. It’s a mental health condition that causes intense feelings of sadness and hopelessness, affecting how you think, feel, and act.

Depression can impact people of all ages and backgrounds. It may develop after a life crisis or trauma, but in some cases, the cause is unknown.

Though many people with depression feel helpless, it is treatable. Andrea is a compassionate and experienced psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who provides treatment for depression through Total Clarity Psychiatry practice in Michigan. Telepsychiatry allows her to treat patients throughout the region, giving them access to care from the comfort of their homes.

Michigan specific resources for depression:

https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/keep-mi-healthy/mentalhealth/mentalhealth

Depression affects everyone differently, but symptoms can interfere with your daily routines and quality of life. Common symptoms include:

• Low mood

• Lack of energy

• Changes in sleep patterns (sleeping too much or too little)

• Changes in appetite (increased or decreased)

• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism

• Difficulty making decisions or concentrating

• Loss of interest in activities that once brought joy

• Withdrawing from friends and family

• Unexplained aches and pains

• Thoughts of death or suicide

You don’t need to experience every symptom to have depression. However, a diagnosis typically requires a persistently low mood lasting two or more weeks that significantly disrupts daily life.

Andrea treats all forms of depression, including major depressive disorder, perinatal/postpartum depression, dysthymia and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Total Clarity is NOT accepting any patients with chronic active suicidality risk, psychosis, hallucinations, or bipolar disorder at this time, but may be able to provide other clinic recommendations, if needed.

Andrea conducts a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation during your first telepsychiatry appointment. She will review your medical and mental health history, assess your symptoms, and use mental health screening tools to develop a diagnostic impression.

Together, she will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that best supports your mental health.

Your initial telehealth evaluation with Andrea lasts 60-75+ minutes.

In some cases, Andrea may recommend a wellness exam and lab work with your primary care provider. This helps rule out medical conditions that could contribute to your symptoms, such as thyroid disorders or vitamin D deficiency.

Andrea is a compassionate and experienced psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner who provides treatment for depression through Total Clarity Psychiatry in Michigan. Telepsychiatry allows her to treat patients throughout the region, giving them access to care from the comfort of their homes.

Evidence-based treatments for depression include both psychotherapy (like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Interpersonal Therapy) and medications (such as SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, and MAOIs). Brain stimulation therapies like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are also options for severe or treatment-resistant cases.

Medication:

• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): SSRIs are a common type of antidepressant medication.

• Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs): SNRIs are another class of antidepressant medication.

• Tricyclic Antidepressants: These are older antidepressants that can be effective but may have more side effects than SSRIs or SNRIs.

• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs): MAOIs are another class of antidepressant medication, but they require a strict diet and have more potential drug interactions. 

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) refers to a condition where depressions persists despite adequate treatment with multiple antidepressant medications. It is a challenging and complex condition that affects a significant number of individuals.  Ketamine may be helpful for this type of depression. 

Andrea specializes in medication management, working closely with you to find the right medication to relieve symptoms and improve your well-being.

She is not a ketamine provider and does not provide ECT or TMS.

Psychopharmacological genetic testing (PGT) can be order and is covered by some insurance carriers to determine how you metabolize certain medications. This can be helpful if you have failed or had serious side effects on medications in the past. If you have questions, or want to order this test, ask Andrea for more details.