Have Questions About Medical Depression?

Do You Have Medical Depression?

Medical depression (clincal) commonly accompanies general medical illnesses, although it is often undetected and untreated. Major depression in and around your community is around two to four percent. If you are a primary care patient, it is between five and ten percent. If you are an inpatient it ranges from nine and fifteen percent. Studies suggest that 65% of visits to physians for primay care involve symptoms assoicated with mental health and related issues. Depression is the most common problem that is encountered. Few of these patients are sent to a psychologist for treatment. If you have signs of depression and have consulted your family physician - and still feel depressed - should seek a psychologist to discuss your depression issues. If you can recognize the depression and get into a treatment program then this may improve medical conditions and your life in general. It can also reduce the pain sometimes experienced by a patient being treated for medical (non-psychological) reasons.

Interestingly, some research is suggesting that patients recover better from serious illnesses when psychological treatment is also offered. This makes sense sense you could easily go into a depression based upon your medical condition. Consider if you were diagnosed with HIV the impact that it would have on you mentally. Some research indicates that psychological distress can reduce the effectiveness of your bodies natural immune system, thus making it harder to fight diseases in general.

Medical Depression and Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy treatment for medical depression assists the depressed individual in many ways. First, counseling helps ease the pain of medical depression, and helps address feelings of hopelessness and fatigue that accompany depression. Second, therapy helps change pessimistic ideas, poor expectations and critical self-evaluations that create depression and keep it going. This form of psychotherapy helps someone with medical depression recognize when the problems they are experiencing are critical and which are not. This helps them develop and build positive life goals and a more positive self-assessment. Third, this helps the person recognize the areas that are creating significant stress and aiding to the depression.

The treatment length will depend on the severity of the depression, and the amount of problems that need to be resolved. Many people will experience relief after five to ten sessions, and as many as 80% of those treated notice significant improvement within 20-30 sessions. Mild depression can be treated in less sessions, and if you have major depression it may take more serious treatment. Usually a session is scheduled for one time per week - and may be scheduled more frequently initially.

Medical Depression and Medication Treatments

Unless you havee major depression (or bipolar) medication can usually be an option, but is not a necessity. Antidepressants do not cure depression, it basically makes you feel better by managing certain symptoms. If you are depressed because of life issues (marriage issues, divorce, loss of family member, job issues, financial issues, etc.) then usually taking a pill once a day is not going to change these issues in your life.

Some depression symptoms may make it difficult for you to make the life changes necessary to eliminate the depression. (Examples: sleep problems, trouble concentrating, fatigue). In a more seious medical depression, suicidal tendencies and urges may require medication in addition to counceling. Antidepressants can help relieve those symptoms, and allow you to make needed life changes. The decision to take a medication should be discussed with your therapist and your physician. If medications are part of your treatment, then either your psychologist or physician will supervise the medical part of your treatment.

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Additional Informtion: here Support Group for FacetoFace Health is here.