Depression is a common but sometimes debilitating condition affecting millions every year. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 8.4% of adults in the United States, or 21 million people, experienced a major depressive episode in the last year.¹ Depression is a serious mood disorder, although treatment can alleviate more serious symptoms.

Are you familiar with the different forms of depression treatment? If you aren’t and are looking for some help, you may be asking, “Is there inpatient treatment for depression?” Thankfully, mental health treatment programs offer a wide range of services, including inpatient treatment, that can help you learn to manage and live with your disorder.

What is Depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that affects how someone thinks, feels, and functions in daily life. Symptoms range from mild to moderate to severe and can affect every area of life, from sleeping and eating to responsibilities at work or home. Some signs of depression include low mood, little energy, sleeping too much or too little, experiencing no pleasure in life, and feeling hopeless about the future.

Inpatient Treatment for Depression Exist?

Mental health treatment programs offer different levels of care to meet the needs of people with varying severities of mental illness. Inpatient treatment for depression is one of the primary approaches to mental health treatment. What are the levels of care offered for depression treatment?

Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient treatment is the first phase of a comprehensive approach to treating depression. Also called residential treatment, inpatient treatment allows clients to achieve stability in a safe and serene environment focused entirely on developing and maintaining mental wellness. Residential programs are 24 hours a day, where clients attend treatment during the day and reside in a home-like setting in the evenings.

Partial Hospitalization Program

Partial hospitalization programs are similar to inpatient treatment but without the residential component. They offer the same full-time day treatment schedule while allowing clients to return to their homes at night.

Intensive Outpatient Program

Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) serve as a transition period between full-time depression treatment and completing the program. IOP usually takes place about three days per week with 3 to 5 hours of treatment per day. Clients either reside at their homes or in off-site residential housing.

Counseling

Counseling is the final stage of a depression treatment program. Once clients complete their higher levels of care, counseling allows them to maintain contact with a therapist to continue building their coping skills and working through new problems that arise.

Seeking Depression Treatment at Lifeskills South Florida

Not everyone needs inpatient treatment for depression, but it is invaluable for those who experience more severe symptoms. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that 66% of people (13.8 million) who needed help receive treatment for depression.

However, individuals who struggle to get out of bed in the mornings and feel no hope for their future will find support and a solution in an inpatient setting. Residential programs remove the common stressors of everyday life and allow for a complete focus on managing and relieving symptoms.

If you experience severe depression and are struggling to handle daily life, you may want to seek inpatient treatment for depression. Lifeskills South Florida is a treatment program providing care and direction to those battling depression and many other mental health conditions. Please call us at 954-953-1742 to learn more about our programs today!

References

1. National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Major Depression.
2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). National Survey on Drug Use and Health.