Depression

More than one in eight Americans 12 and older in the United States experience depression symptoms. If you’re constantly sad or feel hopeless, see psychiatry and neurology specialist Frederick Starr, MD, FAACAP, at Myneurva Brain Centers in Hackensack, New Jersey. He provides cutting-edge depression treatments to help you rediscover happiness and flourish. Schedule an evaluation by calling the office or requesting a visit online today. 

What is depression?

Depression is a type of mood disorder that causes constant or extreme feelings of sadness and often a loss of interest in once-favorite activities. Left untreated, depression can negatively affect your emotions, thoughts, moods, and behaviors. 

Myneurva Brain Centers offers revolutionary treatments for depression in children, teenagers, and adults to enhance their quality of life. 

What symptoms can depression cause?

Depression can lead to:

• Constant sadness
• Loss of interest in favorite things
• Social withdrawal
• Fatigue 
• Sleep changes
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling worthless, helpless, or hopeless
• Thoughts of suicide
• Tearfullness
• Irritability
• Angry outbursts
• Weight loss or gain
• Appetite changes
• Physical aches and pains
• Desire to stay at home

Depression can negatively affect grades at school, relationships, and performance at work. 

What are the risk factors for depression?

Depression risk factors include:

• Brain changes
• Traumatic events
• Loss of a loved one
• Job loss
• Financial challenges
• Divorce
• Hormone changes
• Chronic illness or disease
• Family history of depression
• Being female
• Low self-esteem
• Anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 
• History of mental health disorders
• Drug of alcohol misuse
• Some medications
• Ongoing or extreme stress

However, the exact cause of depression isn’t always clear. Complications of depression may include self-harm, obesity, relationship challenges, and a lower quality of life. 

How is depression diagnosed?

Diagnosing depression with Dr. Starr consists of a psychiatric evaluation using DSM-5 criteria. He discusses your emotions, moods, lifestyle, thoughts, and behaviors. Dr. Starr also offers quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) to map your brain wave activity and determine how to best treat depression and/or other mental health concerns. 

How does neurofeedback therapy help treat depression?

Neurofeedback therapy is a noninvasive, brain-based treatment that can help individuals experiencing depression by supporting healthier patterns of brain activity. 

During neurofeedback sessions, sensors are gently placed on the scalp to monitor brainwave activity in real time. Individuals receive immediate feedback—typically through visual or auditory cues—when their brain activity shifts toward more balanced patterns. Over repeated sessions, the brain learns to maintain these healthier patterns on its own.

By promoting improved regulation within mood-related brain networks, neurofeedback may help reduce common depressive symptoms such as persistent sadness, low energy, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, and loss of interest in activities. Many individuals also report improvements in emotional resilience and stress tolerance. 

Because neurofeedback works directly with the brain’s self-regulating capacity, it can be a valuable option for those seeking a complementary approach alongside psychotherapy and medication, or for those who have not experienced full relief from traditional treatments.

Schedule a depression evaluation at Myneurva Brain Centers by calling the office or booking an appointment online today.