Depression is more than just “feeling down.” It can impact your sleep, relationships, and your ability to show up at work or school. It’s also more common than many realize, with recent data showing that over 8% of adults and more than 15% of youth ages 12 to 17 in the U.S. experience it.¹ If you’re dealing with depression, you’re not alone. At New Directions Mental Health, our clinical team has extensive experience in helping our neighbors manage and recover from depression.
Call 724.374.7414 to schedule a visit and learn how our depression treatment services in Pittsburgh, Wexford, Washington, and across Pennsylvania can support your recovery.
What Depression Can Feel Like
No two people experience depression the same way, and it can be influenced by family history, hormones, and environment. However, common threads include low energy, sleep problems, and brain fog, while some people also experience thoughts of death or suicide. It isn’t always sadness either, with many describing it as feeling numb or disconnected from their emotions altogether. Someone could receive a diagnosis of depression if these symptoms start to impact their ability to function.
If you resonate with several of the following symptoms, treatment may be worth considering:²
- A low or irritable mood most days
- Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy
- Eating noticeably more or less than usual
- Sleeping too much, or having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Feeling agitated or sluggish
- Ongoing fatigue and low energy
- A sense of guilt or worthlessness
- Difficulty concentrating or deciding things
- Thoughts about death or suicide
If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide, contact local emergency services, go to your nearest ER, or call or text 988 for the National Crisis Hotline right away.
You Don't Have to Manage Depression Alone
If you’re feeling hopeless, with the right mix of therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, and other interventions, relief from depression is possible. New Directions Mental Health offers comprehensive depression treatment throughout Western Pennsylvania to help you find the healing you deserve.
Common Types of Depression
Depression isn’t just one condition. It has several recognized forms, shaped by different causes and patterns. Experts use these diagnostic categories, along with your unique history, symptoms, and life situation to determine the best treatment plan for you.
Here are the major types of depression:
- Major depressive disorder (MDD): Five or more symptoms from the list above present for at least two weeks at a time. These are acute enough to cause a serious decrease in function.
- Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia): A long-running low mood lasting two years or more, without the episodic pattern of MDD.
- Postpartum depression: A mood shift after childbirth, tied to hormonal changes and the adjustment to a new baby.
- Seasonal affective disorder: Symptoms triggered by reduced daylight in winter, usually easing in spring, though a smaller number experience the reverse in summer.
- Depression linked to a medical condition: Chronic illness or pain, along with conditions like stroke, Parkinson’s, or MS, can bring on depressive symptoms.
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): Mood symptoms tied to menstrual cycle and hormonal shifts.
- High-functioning depression: Depression that stays hidden beneath an outwardly capable exterior.
- Atypical depression: Mood that ebbs and flows depending on the circumstances, symptoms like overeating and oversleeping, often paired with strong sensitivity to rejection.
- Depression in children and teens: Similar presentations to adult depression but requiring age-appropriate treatment approaches.
What Causes Depression?
There’s rarely just one cause of depression. Depression usually develops from a combination of genetics, biology, and life experience. A family history increases risk, though there’s no guarantee that you’ll develop it just because a parent has depression. Knowing your personal risk factors can help you recognize and respond to depressive episodes earlier.
Common contributing factors to depression include:³
- Genetics: Kids with a depressed parent are about twice as likely to experience depression themselves.
- Biology: Differences in how the brain regulates chemicals like serotonin and dopamine play a role.
- Environment: Stress, trauma, and physical health struggles can all increase the risk for situational depression.
- Psychological factors: Low self-esteem, a pessimistic outlook, or trouble managing stress can develop into a depressive disorder without proper help.
- Situational triggers: Events like a death, divorce, or job loss can bring on depressive episodes for people already at heightened risk.
Treatment for Depression at New Directions Mental Health
Because depression’s causes tend to overlap, treatment often does, too. A combination of therapy, medication, and lifestyle change is common, and some people need all three before symptoms meaningfully improve. Our providers will work closely with you to determine the best path forward based on your unique symptoms and circumstances.
Ruling out physical health causes with your doctor could also be helpful, especially if you’re experiencing other physical symptoms.
When standard treatments aren’t enough to quell symptoms, we call that difficult-to-treat depression, and our care teams may recommend TMS or Spravato®, available at most of our clinics.
Therapy
One-on-one or group therapy is often the starting place for depression treatment. Your therapist can help you understand the underlying roots of your depression, and be a safe space for you to open up and process how you’re feeling. Then, your therapist can help you learn new ways to cope and move forward.
Medication
Antidepressants such as SSRIs or SNRIs support the brain’s ability to regulate serotonin and other important neurotransmitters, helping stabilize mood. Medication is incredibly personalized, and your psychiatric provider will talk you through which options they think are best based on your symptoms and goals. It may take a few tries to find the exact right medication (or combination), so it’s important to be honest and open about all your experiences and any side effects you experience along the way.
Lifestyle Changes
Regular movement, better sleep hygiene, nutritious food, time outside, and stronger social ties can all support depression recovery alongside other treatment. Your therapist and care team as a whole can help you brainstorm how to implement these changes in achievable ways.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
An FDA-approved, non-invasive option that uses magnetic pulses to activate underactive brain regions, TMS can be effective for difficult-to-treat depression cases. It’s often used when someone doesn’t respond well to medication, as it typically comes with few side effects. TMS can often make other treatments like therapy more successful, as it increases neuroplasticity, making other changes come a bit easier.
Spravato®
An FDA-approved nasal spray form of esketamine for hard-to-treat depression, Spravato® is known for delivering symptom relief within hours for many clients. Spravato® opens up new channels of communication in the brain, which can often help people find new meaning and progress in therapy as they’re more receptive to new ideas.
What Does Depression Recovery Look Like?
Depression responds well to treatment for most people, with 70% to 90% of those who seek care eventually seeing meaningful improvement.⁴ Getting there can take some adjustment along the way. This is why we prioritize open, honest relationships with all our clients. Telling us what’s working (and what isn’t) is crucial to getting the care you deserve.
Why Choose New Directions Mental Health for Depression Treatment
Because the connection between you and your provider is one of the strongest predictors of success, our intake teams take your personal preferences into account when matching you with a therapist or medication prescriber. We coordinate care across your full team, so your therapist and psychiatrist are always working from the same page, and many of our clinics offer alternative treatments like TMS and Spravato® so we’re ready to help with any level of care you need.
Here’s how care with us typically starts:
- Call 724.374.7414 or fill out our online intake form
- Review insurance and copay details together, with most plans accepted, including Medicaid and Medicare
- Set up your first appointment, whether that’s therapy, psychiatry, or both
- Choose in-person visits or telehealth, whichever fits your life
- Work with your therapist to build coping tools and strengthen relationships
- Access ongoing medication management as needed, from a team invested in your overall health
Get Depression Support in Southwestern Pennsylvania
New Directions Mental Health offers therapy, psychiatry, and medication management in Pittsburgh, Greensburg, and across Pennsylvania, with care designed for every age and background. If depression is weighing on you or someone you love, take the first by calling 724.374.7414 or scheduling your first appointment today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Sadness after something difficult, like a loss or setback, is a normal and usually short-lived response. Depression lingers longer, sometimes without an obvious trigger, and involves a broader mix of physical, psychological, and environmental factors. If low mood and reduced functioning last beyond two weeks, it may be time to seek treatment.
There’s no single cure for depression, but many treatments can meaningfully reduce symptoms, including talk therapy and medication. For depression that doesn’t respond to standard care, options like TMS or Spravato® can offer additional relief.
Rebuilding basic routines around sleep, food, and movement can gradually ease symptoms even when energy is low. Pairing that with therapy to explore underlying causes and thought patterns often leads to steadier, longer-term coping.
Keep showing up, even if your depressed loved one seems withdrawn. Small gestures help, like sitting with them, going for a walk, bringing food, or gently raising the idea of professional support. If they’re willing, offering rides to appointments can be a meaningful way to help.
Sometimes, especially when it’s tied to a specific loss or hard time. But left untreated, depression can also deepen. If symptoms last more than two weeks and start affecting daily life, it’s worth reaching out for support. You don’t need to wait, though. If you have any symptoms causing you distress, even if they haven’t lasted for two weeks, it can be a good idea to get ahead of them by talking to a mental healthcare provider at your earliest convenience.
Depression Insights
To learn more about depression disorders, check out some of our recent blogs.
Sources:
- Section 6 PE Tables – Results from the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables, SAMHSA, CBHSQ
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t5/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9290-depression#causes
- https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression