Talk With Your CCH Provider About Depression

If you’ve been feeling sad or down and can’t seem to shake it, talk with your CCH Provider about depression.

What is depression?

Depression is an illness that involves the brain. It can affect your thoughts, mood, and daily activities — and make you feel sad or down. But depression is more than feeling sad for a few days.

Depression can be mild, moderate, or severe. Even mild depression can become more serious if it’s not treated.

If you're diagnosed with depression, you aren’t alone. Depression is a common illness that affects millions of adults in the United States every year.

The good news is that you can get treatment for depression. Getting help is the best thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones. You can feel better.

Check out these resources to learn more about depression:

• General information about depression

• Depression and older adults

• Depression and women

• Depression during and after pregnancy

• Depression and veterans

Signs of Depression

What are the signs of depression? It’s normal to feel sad sometimes, but if you feel sad or down on most days for more than 2 weeks at a time, you may be depressed.

Depression affects people differently. Some signs of depression are:

• Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy

• Feeling hopeless or empty

• Forgetting things or having trouble making decisions

• Sleeping too much or too little

• Gaining or losing weight without meaning to

• Thinking about suicide or death

Treatment

How is depression treated? Depression can be treated with talk therapy, medicines (called antidepressants), or both. Your CCH provider may refer you to a Behavioral Health Services professional for talk therapy or medicine.

If you start taking medicine and it’s not working well enough, your doctor may have you try a different type of antidepressant. And if talk therapy and medicines aren’t helping you feel better, your doctor may suggest a type of treatment called brain stimulation therapy. These therapies use magnetic waves or electricity to stimulate the brain and treat depression.

Family Clinic in Hulett

Our Family Clinic in Hulett provides continuing and comprehensive health care for individuals and families, including the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of depression. Family Medicine or Primary Care providers serve all people of all ages. Our team helps patients establish a medical home to monitor their health and manage chronic illnesses and conditions. In addition to full primary care services, we also provide women’s health services. Call 307-688-2235 today to book an appointment.