Depression Treatment

People often refer to mild depression as if it’s not a big problem, but it can bring you down for months or years, and mild symptoms can progress to severe depression. Elia Gonzalez-Rodriguez, MD, and the team at Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry & TMS offer compassionate care for depression at their three office locations in Vancouver and Lakewood, Washington. They provide medication management and two innovative options for treatment-resistant depression: Spravato® and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). If you need help overcoming depression, call the nearest office or request an appointment today.

TMS

Spravato™

What causes depression?

Depression is influenced by genetic tendencies and life events, such as losing a job or separating from your partner. But no matter what variables affect your mood, depression also involves an imbalance in brain chemicals (neurotransmitters).

This imbalance may cause depression, making it possible to become depressed without an apparent reason. Or your neurotransmitter levels may prolong depression that begins due to life challenges or other conditions like anxiety or an illness.  

What symptoms occur when I’m depressed?

The severity and number of symptoms determine whether you have mild depression or major depressive disorder. However, all stages of depression cause similar symptoms. 

If you’re depressed, you may:

• Feel sad, worthless, and hopeless
• Develop anxiety or feel nervous
• Stay away from family and friends
• Lose interest in activities you usually enjoy
• Eat too much or too little
• Gain or lose weight
• Sleep too much or have insomnia
• Have a hard time concentrating
• Struggle to make decisions
• Think about suicide

If your symptoms last longer than two weeks, you should seek help from the caring team at Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry & TMS.

How is depression treated?

Treatment for depression begins with talk therapy, antidepressant medications, or both. You may need antidepressants if your symptoms are severe, you’re too depressed to engage in therapy, or if talk therapy alone doesn’t help.

Our cash pay rates for new patient intakes and medication management appointments are as follows:

• New patient intake appointment (up to 90 min): $525
• Established patient appointment (20-min): $225
• Established patient appointment (30-min): $285
• Established patient appointment (45-min): $325
• Established patient appointment  (60-min): $350
• 60-120 min appointment: $425

If your depression doesn’t improve with antidepressants, Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry & TMS offers two highly effective therapies: 

Spravato®

Spravato is a nasal spray containing esketamine, a medication for people with treatment-resistant depression or major depression with suicidal thoughts or actions. You take Spravato at the Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry & TMS office, where they can monitor for potential side effects.

The medication is absorbed through your nose, travels to your brain, and balances brain chemicals that regulate your mood. Symptoms improve within 24 hours for most people. 

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

TMS is a medication-free treatment that uses non-invasive repetitive magnetic pulses to treat depression. Your doctor or technician focus the NeuroStar® Advanced Therapy TMS device on the brain area regulating your mood. As the pulses boost nerve activity and restore neurotransmitters, your symptoms improve.

During TMS treatment, you relax in a recliner, your technician places a coil-like device against your head, and it sends out repeated magnetic pulses. You feel and hear tapping, but your TMS treatment doesn’t cause pain.

If you need help overcoming depression, call Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry & TMS or request an appointment online today