Myths and facts
about depression
mental health
Formulary additions
Drug name
Used to treat
Tretinoin 0.05% Acne
D
o you know the difference
between having the blues
and having depression?
Sometimes people have a lot
of myths about depression. We
often use the word
depressed
to
describe someone who is in a
bad mood or having a bad day.
Everyone has times when they feel
blue or down. Most of the time,
these low moods don’t last long
and get better on their own. But
for some people, these moods can
become more extreme and turn
into
depression
.
Here are some common
myths about depression:
Myth No. 1:
Depression is just a
case of having the blues or being a
little down.
Fact:
ere is a big di erence
between depression and the
everyday blues. Depression can
last longer—from a few weeks to
over a year. When people feel blue
or down, most of the time these
feelings don’t last long.
Myth No. 2:
Depression is no big
deal. It’s not that serious.
Fact:
Depression is a very real
and serious illness that a ects all
parts of a person’s life and needs
treatment. People with depression
su er in many ways. ey are not
only in emotional pain, but they
often withdraw from their friends
and have trouble getting things
done.
Myth No. 3:
Depressed people
are just lazy. ey need to pull
themselves together.
Fact:
When people are
depressed, they can’t simply pull
themselves together and get better.
We don’t know the exact cause of
depression, but we do know it is
a medical illness. is also means
that it can be treated.
Myth No. 4:
It’s not good to talk
about feeling depressed. It makes it
worse.
Fact:
It’s hard for some people
to talk about feelings, but telling
someone about feeling depressed is
an important step toward getting
help.
Myth No. 5:
Depression is
something you are stuck with. You
can’t change it.
Fact:
ere are many ways to
treat it. Most cases of depression
improve with treatment. To
learn more about depression and
treatment options, you can contact
Beacon
, the Alliance’s new partner
in providing mental health care
services, at
1-855-765-9700
. ey
can explain your mental health
and substance abuse bene ts and
connect you to providers in your
area.
Copyright © 2014 Coffey Communications
WHN30348
LIVING HEALTHY is published for the members and
community partners of CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE
FOR HEALTH, 1600 Green Hills Road, Suite 101, Scotts Valley,
CA 95066, telephone 831-430-5500 or 1-800-700-3874,
ext. 5505, website
.
Information in LIVING HEALTHY comes from a wide range of
medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about
specific content that may affect your health, please contact
your health care provider.
Models may be used in photos and illustrations.
Member Services Director
Editor
Health Education Coordinator III
Jan Wolf
Erin Huang
Sandra Orozco
and Deborah Pineda
healthy
living
