In Charleston, South Carolina, mental health experts highlight how the holiday season intensifies struggles for those with major depressive disorder (MDD), affecting nearly 22 million U.S. adults as the leading cause of disability. Symptoms disrupt thoughts, feelings, and actions, often leaving people unable to enjoy former pleasures or join familiar activities. Board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner Amy Belnap notes that while oral antidepressants serve as standard care, two in three patients face breakthrough symptoms despite treatment, per Johnson & Johnson research.
Treatment Insights and Next Steps
Belnap stresses ongoing research for innovative therapies to manage residual symptoms beyond initial medications. She urges open conversations with healthcare providers for personalized assessment if you or a loved one suspect MDD.
Local Lowcountry Resources
Charleston offers accessible support tailored to holiday pressures and year-round needs:
- MUSC Health Behavioral Health: Provides psychiatry, therapy, and crisis services; call 843-792-9162 or visit muschealth.org/behavioral-health. Their Hollings Cancer Center and downtown clinics handle depression with telehealth options.
- Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital Behavioral Health: Inpatient and outpatient care in Summerville; 843-719-5000.
- South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH): 24/7 crisis line at 1-833-364-2274; free/low-cost counseling via local centers like the Charleston/Dorchester Mental Health Clinic (843-852-4100).
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial 988 for immediate, confidential help—available locally with Lowcountry responders.
- NAMI Charleston: Support groups and education; namicharleston.org or 843-971-8779 for family resources.
- Lowcountry 211: Connects to food, financial aid, and mental health referrals; dial 211.
These align with regional focuses on community wellness, family support, and public health amid holiday events like those at Point Hope Church.
Did you attend any Lowcountry holiday gatherings, or are you seeking specific resources near Mount Pleasant?
