Depression is a serious medical condition that can take a heavy toll on a person’s personal and social life. Many people believe that a depressed mood does not last long or one can eliminate feelings of guilt or worthlessness by socializing or by avoiding the triggers that cause such feelings. But people do not realize that a full-blown depression can a be a root cause of numerous other maladies. The situation becomes grimmer when people do not get proper treatment despite being diagnosed with the deadly mental condition.

According to regulations, screening for depression in the U.S. should be a mandatory routine check-up in people aged 18 years or older. But it does not end there. In fact, the real tussle begins after the diagnosis of the disease, since many people have to live with the condition due to lack of proper treatment and care. A recent study by the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York revealed that many depressed patients do not get adequate treatment and support to come out of their distress.

Challenging for depressed patients to find mental health provider

To determine whether people diagnosed with depression are actually getting treatment for it, the scientists reviewed data of 46,417 individuals who participated in a survey between 2012 and 2013. The results of the study, published in the JAMA Internal Medicine in August 2016, showed that more than 8 percent patients tested positive for depression, but only less than one-third of them received any sort of treatment. Further, of all those who received any kind of treatment for depression, nearly 22 experienced serious mental issues.

The scientists attributed this disparity in treatment to several reasons, with the most common being lack of understanding among patients about the seriousness of the disease and the availability of treatment options. There are still many others who are bogged down by the shame or stigma linked to a mental disease. Even primary health care experts are so preoccupied with numerous other life-threatening ailments that they tend to overlook feelings of sadness and despair in their patients.

Antidepressants seem to be most common treatment approach

It was observed that antidepressants were the first line of treatment, with as many as 87 percent patients being prescribed these drugs. However, psychotherapy was not a common treatment of choice, opted by just one-fourth of the group. The patients first contacted their general physician to check for their symptoms, before consulting a psychotherapist, which only occurred in extreme cases. The insured patients had a higher probability of getting treated than their uninsured counterparts. The disparity also existed in terms of race, ethnicity and gender, with racial and ethnic minorities, and men having the least possibility of getting treated for the mental condition.

But sometimes, even if a patient seeks treatment to combat the illness, he may be living in such circumstances where treatment is either inaccessible or there is lack of professionals dealing with mental diseases.

“The onset of depression is so insidious and often times it’s not identified until it’s serious. Then a lack of motivation and apathy interfere,” said Dr. Maria Oquendo, president of the American Psychiatric Association. Although doctors have initiated a drive to screen patients for depression even at the primary care level, a lot needs to be done to motivate patients to seek treatment for depression on a priority basis.

Help is a call away

Major depression is a common mental illness in the U.S. It affects over 16 million American adults each year. Depression is serious and can be damaging if left untreated. One must not wait for symptoms to grow to a level wherein the patient loses all hope to recover.

If you or your loved one is dealing with depression, the Florida Depression Helpline can guide you to one of the best depression rehab centers in Florida. You may call us at our 24/7 helpline number 866–267–5177 for further information about depression centers in Florida.