Depression Treatment in Greenville, SC
Integrative depression treatment in Greenville, SC. Dr. Hendry addresses the nutritional, hormonal, and neurological root causes of depression naturally. Call (864) 365-6156.
"I can't say enough good things about Dr. Hendry. He really listens to your experience and what you need to share about your situation, is patient, and takes the time to explain clearly what acupuncture is about."
— Catherine Hosack · April 2015 · Google Review
What Is Depression?
The clinical picture of depression is familiar: persistent low mood, loss of interest in things that used to matter, fatigue that sleep doesn't resolve, difficulty thinking clearly. What's less familiar is how much of that has a biological explanation — not a character flaw, not a psychological failing, but measurable physiological dysfunction. Neuroinflammation is now understood as a central driver of depression — inflammatory cytokines disrupt serotonin synthesis, reduce BDNF (the growth factor essential for neuroplasticity), and dysregulate the HPA stress axis. Thyroid dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and gut dysbiosis each contribute independently. The 'chemical imbalance' model — low serotonin, take an SSRI — is an oversimplification that has led a generation of patients to antidepressants without anyone checking their B12, vitamin D, thyroid, or inflammatory markers first.
Common Symptoms
Root Causes: A Functional Medicine Perspective
The conventional 'chemical imbalance' model of depression (low serotonin = depression) is an oversimplification. Research now identifies neuroinflammation as a central driver of depression — inflammatory cytokines cross the blood-brain barrier and disrupt serotonin synthesis, reduce brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, essential for neuroplasticity), and dysregulate the HPA axis.
Sources of neuroinflammation are varied: gut dysbiosis, dietary inflammatory load (processed foods, refined sugars), chronic stress, obesity, thyroid dysfunction, and sleep deprivation all independently drive neuroinflammation. Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency directly reduces membrane fluidity in neurons and reduces the efficacy of serotonin transmission. Vitamin D, B12, folate, and iron deficiencies are each independently associated with depressive symptoms.
How We Treat Depression at IHP
Acupuncture for depression has been studied in multiple randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews, with consistent evidence of significant antidepressant effect. Mechanistically, acupuncture increases serotonin, dopamine, and beta-endorphin levels while reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines. Combined with antidepressant medications, it improves response rates and reduces medication side effects.
Dr. Hendry's functional medicine approach tests for the biological contributors most relevant to each patient: thyroid function (hypothyroidism mimics depression), nutritional status, inflammatory markers, hormonal balance (low testosterone in men, low progesterone in women commonly presents as depression), and gut microbiome health. Correcting these measurable deficiencies and imbalances produces biological shifts that support and sustain mood improvement.
Dr. Hendry's Approach
I coordinate care with psychiatrists and therapists — not because I'm working around them, but because the physiological and psychological dimensions of depression need to be addressed simultaneously. My contribution is the biological substrate: identifying and correcting the inflammatory, nutritional, hormonal, and gut factors that make the brain less resilient. SSRIs work better on a brain that isn't hypothyroid, B12-deficient, and running a dysregulated cortisol rhythm. That's the clinical ground I'm responsible for.