The first step in treating depression is getting a clinical diagnosis from a qualified mental healthcare professional. Your psychiatrist may ask you questions or recommend additional testing to rule out other causes of your symptoms, like other medical or mental health conditions. While a range of treatment options exist, most forms of depression are best managed with a combination of medication and supportive therapy.
With Talkiatry, you can see a psychiatrist from the comfort of home and you can schedule your first appointment in a matter of days.
Here’s what to expect in your first visit:
Evaluation: During your first visit with a Talkiatry psychiatrist, you’ll get to meet each other and answer questions about your current symptoms, personal history, medical history, and mental health goals.
Diagnosis: Based on the information you’ve shared, your psychiatrist will be able to provide a diagnosis of your condition, if you have one. Getting a diagnosis can feel scary, but it can also feel validating to finally put a name to what you've been experiencing. Your psychiatrist will help you navigate any emotions that come up and work with you on a path to move forward.
Treatment plan: You’ll collaborate with your psychiatrist on the best way to manage your symptoms. If medication is appropriate, you’ll discuss your options, including the benefits and potential side effects of each medication. Your psychiatrist will provide supportive therapy throughout your session, and may also recommend working with one of our therapists. Our therapists partner with our psychiatrists to provide collaborative care.
To get started, take our
free online assessment, to see if Talkiatry is right for you and get matched with a psychiatrist.
Many people with clinical depression will respond to medication as part of their treatment plan. The most common type of medications prescribed for depression are antidepressant medications, which fall into several different categories:
Most of these medications take several weeks to reach full effectiveness, and not all are appropriate for everyone with depression. That’s why it’s so important to work with a qualified healthcare provider who can respond to the specifics of your condition as well as your body’s response to different treatment options.
Your psychiatrist may additionally recommend supportive therapy (also called “talk therapy") to treat your depression. If your psychiatrist thinks this could be effective for you, we have therapists on staff to work with patients who are seeing our psychiatrists. Talk therapy may help you challenge destructive thought patterns and develop healthy coping skills to manage your depression symptoms.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a therapy technique that’s been shown to successfully help treat the symptoms of depression. This short-term, goal-oriented type of talk therapy can help people with depression cultivate in-the-moment problem-solving skills to change thoughts and behaviors.
