Depression is a serious mental health condition that can cause you to lose interest in beloved activities. Someone with depression may withdraw from social situations and distance themselves from their loved ones, which can lead to worsening depression symptoms. Fortunately, mental health care professionals can help. Here are four depression treatments that can alleviate your feelings of sadness:

1. Depression Therapy

Talk therapy is one of the most effective treatments for depression. Simply talking to someone may not seem like a form of medicine, but therapists are skilled at leading conversations in ways that can prompt personal growth. Therapists who specialize in depression can help depressed patients combat the lies their mental illness tells them. Counseling can restore patients' sense of self-worth and teach them tools they can use to manage their mental illness symptoms. Engaging in talk therapy can be hard, uncomfortable work, but ultimately it will pay off for most patients.

2. Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient treatment isn't right for everyone, but people with severe depression may benefit from it. Someone who chooses this type of treatment will check in at an inpatient facility, where they will receive around-the-clock care and supervision for a period of time. People who experience suicidal feelings or fear that they may harm themselves or someone else should take advantage of inpatient treatment. Inpatient facilities offer psychiatric counseling and medication to patients to help them get well.

3. SNRIs And SSRIs

Some patients benefit from the use of medication to control their depression. The types of drugs used for this purpose are broadly called antidepressants, but there are actually several classes of drugs used as antidepressants. The most common are SNRIs and SSRIs. These drugs are second-generation antidepressants that work by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. Many people find that these medications help them feel better, even when they are severely depressed.

4. Tricyclic Antidepressants

Not every type of antidepressant is right for all patients. While SNRIs and SSRIs are often well-tolerated, some people find that these medications aren't right for them, even after trying several types. These patients may benefit from tricyclic antidepressants instead. TCAs are first-generation antidepressants that also block the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, in addition to inhibiting the reuptake of other neurochemicals like acetylcholine. Some people find that TCAs cause more side effects than second-generation antidepressants, but others experience no side effects at all.

Contact a company like LifeLine For Youth to learn more.