People with major depression can seem OK to others because they often will themselves to “put on a face”. The painful reality is an internal pain that is often pervasive, despite what would seem to be good circumstances. People with depression experience a decreased ability to experience joy – what used to be fun simply is not. Every day tasks feel like lifting lead weights. Depression is the leading cause of suicide. We help people quickly and effectively overcome depression everyday. We are writing this blog because despite years of outreach, this common brain illness continues to be under-treated. A new study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry reiterates that Major Depressive Disorder is a leading cause of disability worldwide. In the current study, the authors looked at the number of people who met criteria for Major Depression and then of those, what percent were aware that they needed treatment, and then of those what received care that met minimum standards. Even in the high income countries, only 1 in 5 people who knew they had a problem received even “minimally adequate” care. These numbers are frightening. While we need to make sure people know when to seek help, we also need to improve community standards. We are experts in diagnosing and treating depression, whether it be severe or moderate, routine or Bipolar. We believe in providing personal comprehensive evaluations that include over an hour of direct doctor time to understand how biology, genetics, diet and other lifestyle factors might be causing problems. When medication is needed we have the expertise to choose the best treatment for the person. We also have the expertise to safely stop psychiatric medications, and to choose other options. Our patients don’t receive medically adequate care – they receive state of the art care. While we can’t personally treat everyone, we teach others through out the globe and support organizations that specialize in under-served populations. Let us know how we can help you.
