Depression in adults

Depression is a common mental disorder characterized by a low mood, lack of interest and pleasure, fatigue, and reduced energy. There is treatment that helps, and most people recover completely.

Other symptoms of depression

Weakened concentration and attention
Reduced self-esteem and self-confidence
Guilt and feelings of inferiority
Negative and pessimistic thoughts about the future
Lack of initiative and indecisiveness
Thoughts and plans about suicide
: Sleep problems
Reduced or increased appetite
Decreased sexual interest
Anxiety, restlessness, and unease

Many people can experience various combinations of depressive symptoms. It also varies how many such symptoms each individual has. Although there are many commonalities, there are thus significant variations in how depression manifests. Depression also occurs in different degrees of severity, from mild depression to severe depression, which has implications for the choice of treatment measures.

translation:We all experience periods in life where we feel down and lack energy. That is completely natural. A depressive disorder, on the other hand, is characterized by a type of low mood that can put a lid on both positive and negative feelings, both joy and sadness. A depressed person often feels emotionally empty and flat, and can feel that nothing matters anymore. The person often becomes self-critical and ruminates on failures and their own inadequacy. Passivity and indecisiveness are also common, along with physical pain and discomfort.

We often talk about a depressive period, because theyMost depressions last for a limited period, and people usually feel better after four to six months. With treatment, improvement can happen even faster. However, a majority of those who have been depressed experience one or more new episodes of depression during their lifetime. Therefore, it is important to take measures that prevent new depression.

Reference and assessment

To receive treatment in specialist healthcare, you need a referral. It is most often your general practitioner who refers you for investigation and treatment, but other healthcare professionals can also refer. Based on the referral and the prioritization guidelines "Mental Health Services for Adults", we will assess whether you are entitled to treatment in specialist healthcare.

: Clinical trials

2 clinical studies are open for recruitment. Together with your doctor, you can assess whether a clinical study is relevant for you.

: See more clinical trials

: Investigation

depression presents differently from person to person and can have many different causes. Therefore, treatment must be tailored to the individual. Some will have clearly defined problems, while others may have many different difficulties. In order to provide a good treatment offer, it is important to conduct an assessment of the problems you are seeking help for. The assessment takes place in the form of conversation and the use of various assessment tools. Your thoughts and opinions about which measures are best for you should be given great weight. Your therapist should listen to what you have to say, and your perceptions should be taken seriously.

This is important in the investigation:

Past and present mental illnesses and somatic diseases
: Suicide risk
Drug use
Childhood and upbringing conditions
Mental illness in the family
Negative events then and now
Problems in private life and work
Personal resources and the opportunity for support from others
Do you have children and do they have any special needs that should be taken care of now?

It is important to clarify when the depression started, and what you think may have contributed to triggering the problems. It is also important to find out if you have experienced episodes of depression before. Experiences from these, for example what helped then, can be useful in working with your current problems. As depression can be a part of bipolar disorder, this should also be considered.

It is recommended that the therapist uses questionnaires as a tool to assess the severity of the depression, and to follow up on the treatment. As a patient, you may benefit from your therapist giving you feedback from the questionnaires, including to monitor whether the treatment is working.

Based on the assessment, your therapist should be able to make a diagnosis, based on the number of depressive symptoms, how severe they are, and to what extent they make it difficult for you to function in everyday life. Afterwards, you and the therapist will jointly develop a plan, where you receive good information about various forms of treatment. If you wish, you have the right to an individual plan to coordinate services that are implemented.

See separate information about individual plan(helsenorge.no)

Treatment

:Here are some common goals for treatment:

Reduce depressive symptoms and prevent relapse
Gain insight into different connections between depression and life circumstances.
Learn coping strategies that provide increased safety and control.
Gain increased knowledge about depression
: Get help to master various life challenges

Treatment of depression typically consists of a combination of various measures. For many, psychotherapy is the most important measure, possibly in combination with medication. If you wish, it is natural to facilitate the participation of family members in parts of the treatment. The treatment may consist of:

Information about depression and how it can be understood and managed.
Information about benefits and possible side effects of medications
Conversation therapy aimed at gaining insight into and changing negative thought patterns and feelings.
Conversations about past events that are relevant to today's problems.
Conversations about difficulties and dilemmas in your everyday life
Measures aimed at work and school
Advice on how to limit the time spent worrying and ruminating
Physical activity and other tasks that can give you a sense of accomplishment

: When neither medication nor psychological treatment has helped, electroconvulsive therapy, called ECT treatment, may also be attempted.

Co-choice

For those of you who have depression, there are several possible treatments. What is best for you can be determined together with healthcare professionals. This is called shared decision-making. Being involved in making decisions is a right you have.

Shared decision-making means you receive information about the advantages and disadvantages of the different options. Then, together with healthcare professionals, you can weigh these against each other, based on what is important to you.

Here are three questions you can ask your therapist:

What options do I have?
What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of these options?
How likely is it that these advantages and disadvantages will apply to me?

Learn more about shared decision-making on helsenorge.no

Physical exercise in mental illness

Depression in adults - medication treatment

Electroconvulsive therapy (electrostimulation) - ECT

: Follow-up

After you have completed treatment with us in specialist healthcare, you may benefit from follow-up from your general practitioner and other healthcare professionals in primary healthcare. A useful tool here is a relapse prevention plan, with points for specific actions you can take, based on your experiences of what helps.

Your healthcare provider in primary care can, if needed, seek professional advice from us. You can also discuss the possibility of a new referral if it becomes relevant.

: Contact

: Contact Midtre Agder Mental Health Services

: Meeting point

We have an outpatient clinic and a 24-hour unit at Liane Ringvei 33 in Kristiansand.

Outpatient clinic and mobile acute team on the hospital grounds at Eg, Andreas Kjærsvei 101 in Kristiansandbuilding 22and 22B.

: Liane Ringvei 33

Liane Ringvei 33

P.O. Box 416, 4604 Kristiansand

Find your way.

Transport

You can reach our locations using public transport. Visit Agder kollektivtrafikk to find your route:akt.no

You may be entitled to have necessary expenses covered when traveling to and from the treatment location.

You should primarily use public transport, and you must pay a deductible. To get reimbursed for expenses incurred during the trip, you must complete a travel expense form and send it toPatient travel.
: Contact Eastern Agder Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic
Meeting point
Opening hours

Today : 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM

: Monday - Friday : 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Saturday - Sunday CLOSED
Rykeneveien 106

Rykeneveien 106

Rykeneien 106, 4824 Bjørbekk

: Find it/them.
Transport

You can reach our locations using public transport. Visit Agder kollektivtrafikk to find your route:akt.no

You may be entitled to have necessary expenses covered when traveling to and from the treatment location.

translation:You should primarily use public transport, and you must pay a deductible. To get reimbursed for expenses incurred during the trip, you must complete a travel expense form and send it toPatient travel.
: Contact Psychiatric Department, Arendal

Virtue's Way 22, Arendal

Virtue's Way 22

Virtue's Way 22, 4838 Arendal

: Find it/them.

Transport

You can reach our locations using public transport. Visit Agder kollektivtrafikk to find your route:akt.no

You may be entitled to have necessary expenses covered when traveling to and from the treatment location.

translation:You should primarily use public transport, and you must pay a deductible. To get reimbursed for travel expenses, you must fill out a travel expense form and send it toPatient travel.
: Contact the Psychiatric Department, Kristiansand

Andreas Kjærsvei 93

: Andreas Kjærsvei 93

: Andreas Kjærsvei 93, 4615 Kristiansand

: Find it.

Transport

You can reach our locations by public transport. Visit Agder kollektivtrafikk to find your route:akt.no

You may be entitled to have necessary expenses covered when traveling to and from the treatment location.

You should primarily use public transport, and you must pay a deductible. To get reimbursed for expenses incurred during the trip, you must complete a travel expense form and send it toPatient travel.

Depression in adults

Other symptoms of depression

Reference and assessment

: Clinical trials

: Investigation

Treatment

Co-choice

: Follow-up

: Contact

: Meeting point

: Liane Ringvei 33

Transport

Meeting point

Opening hours

Rykeneveien 106

Transport

Virtue's Way 22, Arendal

Transport

Andreas Kjærsvei 93

Transport

Address

Post address

Organization

Depression in adults

Information from Helsenorge

Other symptoms of depression

Reference and assessment

: Clinical trials

: Investigation

: Investigation Show more

Treatment

Treatment Show more

Co-choice

: Follow-up

: Follow-up Show more

: Contact

: Liane Ringvei 33 Midtre Agder Mental Health Services

: Meeting point

: Liane Ringvei 33

Transport

Public transport

Patient travels

Rykeneien 106 : Østre Agder Mental Health Services

Meeting point

Opening hours

Rykeneveien 106

Transport

: Public transport

Patient travel

Virtue's Road 22, Arendal Psychiatric hospital department, Arendal

Virtue's Way 22, Arendal

Transport

: Public transport

Patient travel

Andreas Kjærsvei 93 : Psychiatric hospital department, Kristiansand

Andreas Kjærsvei 93

Transport

: Public transport

Patient travel