Depression is a disease. It’s caused by changes in chemicals in the brain that are called neurotransmitters. Depression isn’t a character flaw, and it doesn’t mean you are bad or weak. It doesn’t mean you are going crazy. People who are very depressed can feel so bad that they think about suicide. They may feel…
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Mental health is an important part of our overall health and well-being. While mental illness is incredibly common, two-thirds of Americans do not actively seek help or receive the proper treatment1. Plenty of treatment options are available to help patients with mental illnesses, but navigating care can be difficult. It is also important to consider…
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Untreated mental illness costs the United States up to $300 billion every year.[1] It is the leading cause of disability and the third most expensive medical condition in terms of total health spending, behind cancer and traumatic injury. Given that one in five Americans suffers from a mental illness in a given year[3], and that…
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The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all people, starting at age 12, be screened for depression. Screening for depression helps find depression early. And early treatment may help you get better faster. Depression is a disease. It’s not caused by personal weakness and is not a character flaw. When you have depression, chemicals…
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This month we are sharing an earlier Thought Leaders interview with Patricia Smith about compassion fatigue, given the significant impact COVID-19 continues to have on caregivers across the spectrum, from hospital staff to family caregivers. We are reminded of Patricia’s interview and wanted to share it at a time when it could be so helpful…
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As if 2020 wasn’t already difficult enough with the stressors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and protests over social justice issues, the upcoming election adds another level of anxiety for many people. A study published by the American Psychological Association in 2019 found that 56% of Americans, regardless of party affiliation, felt stressed about the…
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It’s hard to comprehend how much the world has changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has turned our lives upside down in many ways, from school and business closures to quarantines and social isolation. With no clear end in sight, it is not surprising that many people are having difficulty getting used…
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Technological and scientific advancements have dramatically altered the treatment landscape in several disease states. These include orphan diseases and conditions that previously had no disease-modifying treatment options. These innovative therapies have also come with unprecedented costs, with some agents introduced at a price exceeding one million dollars for a single patient. Value-based purchasing arrangements (VBPs)…
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