Going through depression alone, without support, is a challenge that you shouldn’t have to face. However, going to treatment outside of your home might feel like too much. You can participate in depression treatment online with Lightfully. At Lightfully, we use our Precision Care Model (PCM) to provide personalized, evidence-based treatment.

First, what is depression?

“Depression” doesn’t just refer to a passing mood. It’s a group of mental health conditions that needs to meet diagnostic criteria. You might feel depressed when you have a bad week. You might also be depressed when you have symptoms of major depressive disorder or perinatal depression. Depression can intersect with other emotional experiences, like grief.

Common symptoms of depressive disorders include:

• Having a sad, apathetic or disinterested mood
• Feeling hopeless, guilty or exhausted
• Losing interest in things you care about
• Not enjoying things that used to be fun
• Sleeping much more or less than usual
• Eating much more or less than is normal for you
• Having thoughts of hurting yourself or taking your life

A depressive disorder diagnosis requires for symptoms to be persistent for two or more weeks. They also need cause significant distress or impair your daily functions.

You may experience only a few, some or all of these; you might feel that they are relatively mild or debilitatingly severe. You might find that symptoms ebb and flow, especially if you have a time-limited condition like premenstrual dysphoric disorder. This may also happen if your depression tends to arise at one time of the year, like the winter.

Your symptoms are unique to you, and your experience with depression might not look the same as someone else’s. A variety of treatment options are available that a professional can tailor to you through Lightfully’s Virtual Partial Hospitalization Program (vPHP).

What evidence-based support can a vPHP provide?

A vPHP includes five days of treatment per week, for a total of at least 20 hours per week. Each week includes a therapy appointment, a psychiatry appointment and at least four hours of group sessions per week. Family sessions are held every two weeks.

Support may include:

• Psychotherapy

A therapist using our PCM may incorporate several types of treatment, depending on what may be helpful to you. Some common forms of treatment are:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

In this form of therapy, a professional will help you identify cognitive distortions. These are unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to your emotional state. Treatment may focus on cognitive distortions involving your view of yourself, the world around you and the future ahead of you.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT)

A therapist practicing this type of treatment works with you to understand your experiences within the context of your relationships. Together, you’ll address relationship problems, interpersonal communication and other current challenges. You may also talk through past relationships or grief.

• Medication

In vPHP psychiatry appointments, you can explore more options for treatment. You may learn more about or consider trying:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

SSRIs are intended to increase serotonin activity by preventing the parts of your brain that produce serotonin from reabsorbing it. By increasing available amounts of this feel-good chemical, SSRIs may ease symptoms of depression.

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

SNRIs share the effect of SSRIs, but they also affect norepinephrine activity. All medications in this class have been approved to treat depression, but some are used for different conditions.

Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI)

Unlike SSRIs and SNRIs, bupropion primarily affects norepinephrine and dopamine. It’s considered an atypical antidepressant and is commonly used to treat depression in some individuals.

Other antidepressants

These three groups of medication aren’t your only options. If they don’t work, or your psychiatrist believes that another option may be better, they may consider another atypical antidepressant, a tricyclic antidepressant or a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI).

Medications for bipolar disorders

If you have a type of bipolar disorder, you may experience acute bipolar depression or periods of milder depression symptoms. Using some medications, like SSRIs, may be less helpful to you; they may trigger mania or hypomania when taken without a mood stabilizer. Medications like lithium may be used instead. You can learn more about bipolar disorder treatments in this article.

• Additional support

Psychotherapy, medication or a combination of both may form the foundation of recovery. Additional forms of support in a vPHP provide an opportunity for you to continue building your mental health onward and upward.

Group sessions

You and others with depression can motivate each other, share useful perspectives or share advice. You can learn more about how working in a group setting can help you here.

Self-care suggestions

Sometimes, things that seem little can make big differences. A professional may give you advice for small changes that could be impactful. These might include evidence-based tips about sleep, movement or gentle self-care.

Find out more about online care for depression

To learn more about Lightfully’s vPHP, contact us today. We can answer your questions, share information and help you get started.

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.