Learn more about treatment for depression and how to discuss the illness with people who might be suffering from depression. This Minnesota Public Radio interview gives answers. Depression is in the spotlight with actor Robin Williams’ recent death. Reports are that he was suffering from severe depression when he took his own life.
The medical doctor in the interview starts by asking patients these two questions:
1. In the last two weeks, have you had little interest or pleasure in doing things?
2. Have you felt down, depressed, or hopeless?
Based on the answers to these two questions, your doctor may then ask you 9 questions from a patient health questionnaire (PHQ9) to get more specific information to diagnose depression.
The doctor in the MPR interview states that he hears from patients all the time that they do not care if they wake up in the morning. That is the depression talking. The doctor states that having that thought is common, and much different from acting on the thought. It is extremely rare for a patient to actually make plans to take their own life. The MPR interview concludes that depression is treatable. Depression can go into remission. Depression does not have to end, like it did in Robin Williams’ case, with suicide.
Source: “Ask Dr. Hallberg, Treating Depression,” MPR News, Tom Crann, August 12, 2014.