What is Up with All Those Acronyms: MDD

The therapy world is filled with so many acronyms and it can get confusing and overwhelming. Each week, I will break down several of the acronyms you may have heard or read about.

Today we’ll discuss MDD:

MDD stands for Major Depressive Disorder or depression as most of us know it. Depression causes symptoms including sleep and appetite disturbance, loss of pleasure in activities, poor motivation, poor energy, irritability, isolation, feeling slowed down or sluggish, and potentially thoughts of death or suicide. MDD may occur as a single episode, or for some the symptoms may be recurrent. Depression may happen with or without a specific cause. For instance, depression can follow trauma, life changes, or injuries to the brain. Additionally, MDD tends to have a genetic link.

In the United States it is estimated that 16 million Americans suffer from depression at any given time. That’s 7% of the population. Throughout the lifespan, we estimate that 1 in 4 Americans will experience depression.

There are a few ways depression may be treated:

·       Medication- anti-depressants are a common way physicians try to alleviate symptoms of depression including. These include medications such as Zoloft and Prozac.

·       Psychotherapy- Cognitive behavioral therapy is one the most research-based treatments for depression, but various other types of therapy including DBT, ACT, person-centered approaches, and solution-focused approaches are effective for treating depression as well.

·       TMS (another acronym for y’all!) -transcranial magnetic stimulation is used in medication-resistant depression. When your psychiatrist decides medication may not be helping, this easy, painless, and non-invasive procedure may help alleviate your symptoms. Unlike other treatments, this does not require anesthesia.

If you're struggling with MDD, depression therapy can help. Contact our counseling clinic today.

Source: https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Depression