NH Jax Family Medicine offers new depression management program

The program helps dealing with loss, such as the death of a loved one, a recent divorce or the loss of a job. For military families it may be separation from loved ones. People experiencing feelings of sadness, stress, lack of energy, fatigue, or who are experiencing a change in sleep patterns or loss of interest in favorite activities may be suffering from depression.

Depression, an illness that is commonly under treated, may be associated with biochemical changes in the brain. More that just a feeling of sadness, it affects day-to-day thoughts, feelings, actions and physical well-being. Depression responds well to treatment: people do get better. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) statistics show that in any given one-year period, 9.5 percent of the population or about 20.9 million American adults suffer from a depressive illness; however, experts estimate that only 34 percent of people with depression seek help.

At Naval Hospital Jacksonville, the Depression Management Program provides help for patients assigned to the military treatment facility who suffer from depression. It is a collaborative process in which the physician, the patient and the depression disease manager work closely together as a team to help patients and their families manage depression.

Family Medicine Residency Associate Program Director Cmdr. Joseph McQuade is very excited about the new Depression Management Clinic designed to help patients gain control of their illness and navigate them back to the best possible health. He explained, "Ten to 20 percent of the general population will consult a primary care provider for mental health problems in the course of a year. Family physicians care for a substantial proportion of these patients. We need this clinic to ensure follow-up on behavioral healthcare. Depression is often a long-term chronic illness that is commonly under treated. Adequate follow-up of patients with depression can be a difficult task, but now we have a wonderful chance to do better by our patients."

For more information about the Naval Hospital Jacksonville Depression Management Program, contact the Family Medicine Department at 542-9389/7975.