Depression

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In this segment, psychiatrist Dr. Sal Fusaro will be discussing depression with Drs. John, Kathryn and Edward Martin.

There are two complaints that a patient should have for a diagnosis of depression. The first is a depressed mood. And the second, and probably more important, is a loss of pleasure in the activities of daily life. Other symptoms would include anxiety, and difficulty falling or staying asleep. If someone has been experiencing the above for at least two weeks, they would be considered depressed.

The most common treatment for depression is the class of medicines known as Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: SSRI. These include Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro and many others. It usually takes about 6-8 weeks to see improvement with the medicines. They can have a variety of side effects, including agitation, restlessness, and decreased libido.

In addition to the SSRI treatment, psychotherapy is often helpful. Some patients may be able to stop the medications with time, but depression is a recurrent disorder, so they may need to restart again in the future. It can have a genetic component, and in families where a parent has had a depressive episode, the children are at higher risk for depression as well.