FAQs Archive - Page 5 of 5

Q: When someone is treated for depression, are they cured? Are you always actively ill? Are you on lifelong treatment?

Depression is an illness that is very treatable but we do not currently have a cure. That means that someone could have a recurrence of the symptoms in the future. Depression is episodic so people can have long periods where they are not actively ill. Regarding treatment, some people do best if they stay on medication treatment and others do not need to do this. It is a very personal decision that a person makes with his or her treatment team.

Q: What if I am worried that my student is depressed but they actually aren’t? Are we over-diagnosing depression or being overly cautious in identifying at-risk students?

Any time you are sharing concerns, there is a possibility that the student will not have depression. However, there is a much greater risk of missing an underlying depression or not taking action when it is needed. The process of evaluation addresses whether the person does or does not have depression. It is not up to the teachers to determine that. Rather, teachers will hopefully share concerns so that students and the parents can decide if they want to proceed with an evaluation.

Q: Is there anything a parent can do to prevent depression?

There are no clear ways to prevent depression. However, it is critical that it be identified early so that someone gets help as soon as possible to minimize negative consequences. For example, teens with untreated depression often start using drugs and alcohol and there are major problems that can result from those behaviors. So the best way for parents to support their children is to be aware of the symptoms and take action as soon as they are concerned.

When someone is treated for depression, are they cured? Are you always actively ill? Are you on lifelong treatment?

Depression is an illness that is very treatable but we [...]

By Admin|2024-03-21T10:57:29-04:00September 28th, 2019|Treatment of Depression Including Medications|Comments Off

Is depression a cyclic illness or is it a constant illness?

Depression is an episodic illness where most people have periods [...]

By Admin|2024-03-21T10:57:29-04:00September 28th, 2019|Diagnosis of Depression|Comments Off

What if I am worried that my student is depressed but they actually aren’t? Are we over-diagnosing depression or being overly cautious in identifying at-risk students?

Any time you are sharing concerns, there is a possibility [...]

By Admin|2024-03-21T10:57:30-04:00September 28th, 2019|Diagnosis of Depression|Comments Off

What criteria do you need to be diagnosed?

Doctors look for a cluster of symptoms when diagnosing depression. [...]

By Admin|2024-03-21T10:57:30-04:00September 28th, 2019|Diagnosis of Depression|Comments Off

Is there anything a parent can do to prevent depression?

There are no clear ways to prevent depression. However, it [...]

By Admin|2024-03-21T10:57:31-04:00September 28th, 2019|Causes of Depression|Comments Off

Why is my child depressed if everything else in their life is so good?

Although stress can be a trigger for depression, many depressive [...]

By Admin|2024-03-21T10:57:31-04:00September 28th, 2019|Causes of Depression|Comments Off

Are there gender differences in depression?

Depression affects roughly twice as many women as men.

By Admin|2024-03-21T10:57:32-04:00September 28th, 2019|Causes of Depression|Comments Off

Is depression or bipolar disorder genetic or hereditary? Can someone get depressed without a family history?

Depression and bipolar disorder are both influenced by genetics. While [...]

By Admin|2024-03-21T10:57:32-04:00August 14th, 2019|Causes of Depression|Comments Off