“I believe it is important to restore function to my patients not just alleviate symptoms, this requires being able to look at and treat the Whole patient.”
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide.
Depression is a medical condition caused by biological changes in the brain. Depression can be a chronic, recurrent and a progressive condition. When people get depressed their ability to savor their life fades. Left untreated, depression will have a negative impact on ones health and longevity.
A Return to Functioning is the goal of treatment not partial improvement or just the remission of a few symptoms. This requires a specialized and Integrated Team approach.
Because Depression is multidimensional it is often difficult to diagnosis as patients present to their Doctors with many different symptoms:
The potential impact of unresolved Depression could lead to problems with a person’s health. Associated Co-morbidities of Depression include: Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes, and a decrease in Bone Density. In addition Unresolved Depression often interferes with a person’s relationships and their productivity. A lack of education and prevailing cultural myths often interfere with a person’s willingness to seek help. It is a sad scenario made worse by the intense feelings of guilt, shame and hopelessness.
However, a team of specialized health care professionals who work together and offer a multidisciplinary approach can treat Depression effectively. This includes addressing the Emotional, the Social and the Physical aspects of Depression. The important information obtained by diagnostic laboratory tests is often needed, as they might reveal vital information about one’s health and at times need to be included in the treatment of Depression in order to achieve optimal outcomes.
A “Return to Functioning” is the goal of treatment, not partial improvement or merely the alleviation of a few symptoms. The Goal of Treatment is remission.
The Hallmarks of the return of positive Mental Health are: